An Post–Chain Reaction

An Post–Chain Reaction (UCI team code: SKT) is a UCI continental professional cycling team registered in the Republic of Ireland, based at the Sean Kelly Academy in Merchtem, Flanders. The team participates on the UCI Europe Tour. The squad is managed by Kurt Bogaerts and Sean Kelly with directeur sportif Andy Vanhoudt. The team disbanded at the end of the 2017 season, after they failed to find sponsorship.

An Post–Chain Reaction
Team information
UCI codeSKT
RegisteredMerchtem, Flanders, Belgium
Founded2006 (2006)
Disbanded2017
Discipline(s)Road
StatusUCI Continental
BicyclesVitus
WebsiteTeam home page
Key personnel
General managerKurt Bogaerts
Team manager(s)Niko Eeckhout[1]
Team name history
2006
2007
2008–2009
2010–2012
2013–2017
Sean Kelly ACLVB–M Donnelly
Murphy & Gunn–Newlyn–M Donnelly–Sean Kelly
An Post–M Donnelly–Grant Thornton–Sean Kelly
An Post–Sean Kelly
An Post–Chain Reaction
An Post–Chain Reaction jersey
An Post–Chain Reaction jersey
Jersey

History

The team began in 2006 with the name Sean Kelly ACLVB–M Donnelly as the first Irish professional cycling team. Shortly after its launch another Irish continental team was launched, Murphy & Gunn–Newlyn. For the 2007 season, these two teams merged to form the Murphy & Gunn–Newlyn–M Donnelly–Sean Kelly squad.[2][3] The team achieved several good results including second overall in the Rás Tailteann with Paídi O'Brien.[4] At the end of 2007, it was announced that An Post would replace Murphy & Gunn as main sponsor while Grant Thornton replacing the Newlyn group as a co-sponsor.[5] For the 2008 season, the team became more international with four Belgians, two Britons, one Swede and one German joining the six Irish riders.[6] The team took its biggest win when Stephen Gallagher won the general classification of the Rás Tailteann.[7] It has also taken overall victories in Vuelta a Extremadura (Daniel Lloyd), Tour des Pyrénées (Daniel Fleeman), and Ronde de l'Oise (Steven Van Vooren).

The team began as an Irish-registered team, becoming Belgian-registered between 2010 and 2013, primarily to gain access to races in Belgium. The team became Irish-registered again in 2014.[8]

After failing to find sponsorship for the 2018 season, the team was forced to disband. Despite this the team are still looking for sponsorship to compete in the 2018 season.

UCI Europe tour

The SKT team was UCI ranked 31st out of 125 teams at the end of the 2009 UCI Europe Tour season with 481 points. The team was ranked 46th out of 110 teams on the UCI Europe Tour rankings for 2010 with 314 points. It improved ranking to 21st out of 114 teams in 2011 with 648 points, with the team's highest points scorers being Mark McNally with 125 and Andrew Fenn, who scored 122. The team had their best ever season in 2012, finishing 16th out of 125 teams in the final rankings on 879 points. Gediminas Bagdonas was the team's highest points scorer with 346 points, a tally that was good enough to put him in tenth place in the individual standings. Niko Eeckhout contributed 187 points to the tally, while Kenneth Vanbilsen scored 131. In 2013 the team finished 28th overall with a total of 341 points.

Team roster

As at 31 December 2017

Rider Date of birth
 Jonas Bokeloh (GER) (1996-03-16)16 March 1996 (aged 21)
 Daniel Gardner (GBR) (1996-03-06)6 March 1996 (aged 21)
 Regan Gough (NZL) (1996-10-06)6 October 1996 (aged 21)
 Davy Gunst (NED) (1995-01-30)30 January 1995 (aged 22)
 Conor Hennebry (IRL) (1993-02-16)16 February 1993 (aged 24)
 Adam Jamieson (CAN) (1996-02-12)12 February 1996 (aged 21)
 Przemysław Kasperkiewicz (POL) (1994-03-01)1 March 1994 (aged 23)
 Sean MacKinnon (CAN) (1995-11-24)24 November 1995 (aged 22)
Rider Date of birth
 Sean McKenna (IRL) (1994-03-08)8 March 1994 (aged 23)
 Albert Muela Galvez (ESP) (1996-05-13)13 May 1996 (aged 21)
 Jacob Scott (GBR) (1995-06-14)14 June 1995 (aged 22)
 Damien Shaw (IRL) (1984-07-10)10 July 1984 (aged 33)
 Mark Stewart (GBR) (1995-08-25)25 August 1995 (aged 22)
 Matthew Teggart (IRL) (1996-01-08)8 January 1996 (aged 21)
 Bas Tietema (NED) (1995-01-29)29 January 1995 (aged 22)
 Massimo Vanderaerden (BEL) (1995-01-21)21 January 1995 (aged 22)

Major wins

2008
Overall Vuelta a Extremadura, Daniel Lloyd
Stage 1, Team Time Trial
Overall FBD Insurance Rás, Stephen Gallagher
Overall Tour des Pyrénées, Daniel Fleeman
2009
Stages 4 & 5 Vuelta a Extremadura, Niko Eeckhout
Stage 1 FBD Insurance Rás, Niko Eeckhout
Overall Ronde de l'Oise, Steven Van Vooren
Grote Prijs Stad Zottegem, Niko Eeckhout
Memorial Rik Van Steenbergen, Niko Eeckhout
2010
 Ireland Irish Road Race Championship, Matt Brammeier
Stage 5 Étoile de Bessèges, Niko Eeckhout
Stage 3 Ronde de l'Oise, Niko Eeckhout
Stage 3 FBD Insurance Rás, David O'Loughlin
Stage 7 FBD Insurance Rás, Mark Cassidy
2011
 Lithuania Time Trial Championships, Gediminas Bagdonas
Stage 2 Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen, Niko Eeckhout
Stage 7 Tour de Bretagne Cycliste, Andrew Fenn
Overall An Post Rás, Gediminas Bagdonas
Stages 2 & 4, Gediminas Bagdonas
Memorial Van Coningsloo, Andrew Fenn
Overall Ronde de l'Oise, Gediminas Bagdonas
Stage 2, Gediminas Bagdonas
GP Stad Geel, Sam Bennett
Overall Mi-Août en Bretagne, Mark McNally
Stage 7 Tour of Britain, Gediminas Bagdonas
2012
 Lithuania Road Race Championships, Gediminas Bagdonas
Kattekoers, Roy Jans
Ronde van Noord-Holland, Gediminas Bagdonas
Omloop der Kempen, Niko Eeckhout
Stages 3 & 8 An Post Rás, Gediminas Bagdonas
Memorial Van Coningsloo, Gediminas Bagdonas
Schaal Sels, Niko Eeckhout
2013
Stage 5 Tour of Britain, Sam Bennett
Stage 2 An Post Rás, Shane Archbold
Stages 3 & 8 An Post Rás, Sam Bennett
Stage 2 Ronde de l'Oise, Glenn O'Shea
 Ireland Under-23 Road Race Championships, Jack Wilson
2014
Stage 1 An Post Rás, Robert-Jon McCarthy
 Ireland Under-23 Time Trial Championships, Ryan Mullen
 Ireland Road Race Championships, Ryan Mullen
 Ireland Under-23 Road Race Championships, Ryan Mullen
2015
Stage 3 Tour d'Azerbaïdjan, Josh Edmondson
Stages 2 & 5 An Post Rás, Aaron Gate
Stages 4 & 8 An Post Rás, Aidis Kruopis
Overall Ronde de l'Oise, Josh Edmondson
Stage 4, Josh Edmondson
 Ireland Time Trial Championships, Ryan Mullen
 Lithuania Road Race Championships, Aidis Kruopis
Antwerpse Havenpijl, Aidis Kruopis
2017
 New Zealand Under-23 Time Trial Championships, Regan Gough
 New Zealand Under-23 Road Race Championships, Regan Gough
Stage 1 Tour du Loir et Cher, Damien Shaw
Stage 5 Tour de Bretagne, Przemysław Kasperkiewicz
Stage 3 An Post Rás, Matthew Teggart
Stage 5 An Post Rás, Regan Gough
Stage 8 An Post Rás, Przemysław Kasperkiewicz

National champions

2010
Ireland Road Race Matt Brammeier
2011
Lithuania Time Trial Gediminas Bagdonas
2012
Lithuania Road Race Gediminas Bagdonas
2013
Ireland Under-23 Road Race Jack Wilson
2014
Ireland Under-23 Time Trial Ryan Mullen
Ireland Road Race Ryan Mullen
Ireland Under-23 Road Race Ryan Mullen
2015
Ireland Time Trial Ryan Mullen
Lithuania Road Race Aidis Kruopis
2017
New Zealand Under-23 Time Trial, Regan Gough
New Zealand Under-23 Road Race, Regan Gough

References

  1. Stoes, Shane (7 December 2013). "Eeckhout takes up coaching and directeur sportif role with An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly team". velonation.com. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  2. "2007 team database. Note at bottom stating merger, Cyclingnews.com". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  3. "New look Irish continental team launched in Dublin". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 25 May 2008.
  4. "Kenneally Takes Final Stage, Martin Wins Overall". FBD Insurance Ras.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2008.
  5. "An Post to sponsor Sean Kelly team". RTE.ie. 6 December 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2008.
  6. "Sean Kelly pushes harder for 2008". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 25 May 2008.
  7. "Stage victory for O'Loughlin, Gallagher takes An Post's greatest win". Irish Cycling. Archived from the original on 30 May 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2008.
  8. "An Post Chainreaction to register as Irish; targets pro-continental status and more sponsors". stickybottle.com. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
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