IRELAND’S PRO-CONTINENTAL cycling team, Aqua Blue Sport, will make history later this year after receiving a wildcard invite to compete at the 2017 La Vuelta a Espana.
Aqua Blue Sport / Niall O'Connor
Aqua Blue Sport / Niall O'Connor / Niall O'Connor
Aqua Blue Sport, founded by Monaco-based Cork millionaire Rick Delaney, have enjoyed instant success in their debut season and will become the first-ever Irish team to ride in a Grand Tour (Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana) event.
The official invite comes after months of hard work behind the scenes while it’s understood race organisers have been impressed by Aqua Blue’s aggressive style of riding.
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Aqua Blue will line up alongside the sport’s top teams in the French city of Nimes on 19 August for the first of 21 gruelling stages.
“We spoke in the team presentation at the start of the year about winning on and off the bike,” Delaney said. “We dreamed about trying to perform at the highest level and we hoped that we might achieve a world tour start at some point in the future.
“It is an emotional moment. I dreamed of a grand tour start and now it has been realised. Three months in to our first season we have a Grand Tour invite. I believe it is very important to dream and this is evidence that dreams do come true.
“We are delighted and humbled to have received this incredible honour so early in our time. The Vuelta is a fantastic and historic event – for Aqua Blue Sport to be there is a fantastic achievement for such a young team.
“I want to extend my gratitude to the organisers for placing their faith in our team – we are all looking forward to getting there to the start line in Nimes.”
Aqua Blue Sport is a unique project, with Delaney guaranteeing his financial backing for the team for four years and handing 16 riders, and an impressive backroom staff, two-year rolling contracts.
The ultimate goal for the team is to compete in the Tour de France within four years, and racing in this year’s Vuelta isn’t a bad start.
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History makers! Aqua Blue Sport to become first-ever Irish team to compete in Grand Tour event
IRELAND’S PRO-CONTINENTAL cycling team, Aqua Blue Sport, will make history later this year after receiving a wildcard invite to compete at the 2017 La Vuelta a Espana.
Aqua Blue Sport, founded by Monaco-based Cork millionaire Rick Delaney, have enjoyed instant success in their debut season and will become the first-ever Irish team to ride in a Grand Tour (Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana) event.
The official invite comes after months of hard work behind the scenes while it’s understood race organisers have been impressed by Aqua Blue’s aggressive style of riding.
Aqua Blue will line up alongside the sport’s top teams in the French city of Nimes on 19 August for the first of 21 gruelling stages.
“We spoke in the team presentation at the start of the year about winning on and off the bike,” Delaney said. “We dreamed about trying to perform at the highest level and we hoped that we might achieve a world tour start at some point in the future.
“We are delighted and humbled to have received this incredible honour so early in our time. The Vuelta is a fantastic and historic event – for Aqua Blue Sport to be there is a fantastic achievement for such a young team.
“I want to extend my gratitude to the organisers for placing their faith in our team – we are all looking forward to getting there to the start line in Nimes.”
Aqua Blue Sport is a unique project, with Delaney guaranteeing his financial backing for the team for four years and handing 16 riders, and an impressive backroom staff, two-year rolling contracts.
The ultimate goal for the team is to compete in the Tour de France within four years, and racing in this year’s Vuelta isn’t a bad start.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
Read more: The Monaco-based Cork millionaire behind a unique Irish sporting project
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