The An Post sponsored Sean Kelly team will be back in the saddle this weekend, as the eight-stage Tour of Britain gets underway in London this Sunday, September 7.
With the exception of Meath man Mark Cassidy, all the An Post riders who finished the gruelling Tour of Ireland last Sunday are taking part, including Daniel Lloyd, who picked up some nasty injuries in his crash on stage three of the tour.
"I got some bad cuts and bruises to my hands, and found it very hard to get a good grip on the handlebars for the last two days of the Tour of Ireland," said Lloyd, who despite his injuries still managed 15th in the overall classifications.
Lloyd and his fellow Briton Daniel Fleeman both returned to their United Kingdom homes to prepare for the race on Sunday.
"I got out for a ride on Monday, took a rest day on Tuesday, and have been riding hard the last few days," he said "You can't allow yourself time off after a tough race like last week if you want to be in condition to perform again, you have to keep going or your body will seize up."
Fleeman was using his father as a deputy for Team Manager Kurt Bogaerts for the week. "My dad heads on his moped and I have to follow him along on the bike, its great motivation really."
Both riders are hoping to deliver results on what is home soil for them, while Irish riders Paidi O'Brien and Stephen Gallagher are hoping to improve on their good team showing in the Tour of Ireland.
"There are sixteen teams in this race, and it's going to be tough," said Bogaerts, "but I take great confidence in how my team rode in the Tour of Ireland against big teams like Columbia, and I know they should go into this and ride with confidence."
With three stage wins under their belt already this year, from the Ras, the Tour of Extremadura and the Tour de Pyrenees, the An Post team is looking to deliver another final result before the season ends and the World Championships.
"We have had an amazing season, delivering results well above a team of our size and budget," said Bogaerts "I have every confidence that the guys can do the same in Britain next week."
The 2008 Tour of Britain will finish in Liverpool on Sunday, September 14.
