World Omnium champion Glenn O’Shea has completed a deal with the An Post Sean Kelly squad for 2013, and will join the team aiming to land success on the road.
The 23 year old Australian has inked a one year contract and is, according to Kurt Bogaerts, one of the riders he has big hopes for next season.
“Glenn is a very exciting signing for us,” stated the team’s general manager. “He is current Omnium World Champion so he brings that winning mentality into the team; I expect him to play a big part in the year ahead. Glenn has also experienced road racing in Belgium before, so the transition will not be a problem for him.”
O’Shea’s victory at the track world championships was the highlight of his career thus far but he also was part of the silver medal-winning team pursuit squad at the London Olympics plus the worlds. He was also fifth in the Olympic Omnium.
With next year’s track worlds taking place two months earlier in February, he will focus on getting ready for his title defence, then switch over to road racing at the start of March.
Bogaerts has also confirmed a second signing today; the 19 year old former Irish junior champion Jack Wilson has also inked a one year deal with the team.
The nineteen year old competed this year with the UCS Crabbe Performance VOO team based in Limburg, Belgium, and with it not going forward in 2013, Bogaerts has taken Wilson on board.
He previously rode with the team at their winter training camp in Calpe prior to the start of this season. “Jack is very young, but for his age he has a lot of ability and huge potential,” said Bogaerts. “I was impressed with him at our training camp last December and the Irish guys on the team spoke very highly of him at this year’s World Championships.
“He is already familiar with the Belgian and European style of racing so I think this will be a big help to him for the coming season”