Second Irish Continental team to be launched

By Shane Stokes

Following last month’s launch of the Sean Kelly Racing Team, Irish cycling will receive another strong boost with the unveiling of yet another Continental level squad, the Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn team, in Dublin this coming Tuesday, February 28. Manchester United chief Sir Alex Ferguson will appear as guest of honour at the media launch in Milltown, where the full lineup of riders for the 2006 season will be officially announced.

The squad have been preparing for the new season with some local training camps, the most recent of which was based in Sandyford and saw the riders ride the Shay Elliott course and that of the Bray GP.

The team includes established internationals such as Andrew Roche, Paul Healion and Morgan Fox, plus eleven others. They will be using Pinarello frames, Rudy project helmets and glasses, and expect to compete in several world-ranked races abroad, including the Giro del Capo in South Africa next month. The FBD Insurance Rás and the national championships will also be big focuses for the squad, which is receiving good financial backing from the sponsors.