Edmondson signs for An Post-Chainreaction
English rider released by Team Sky at the end of 2014
Left without a team following his release from Sky at the end of last season, Josh Edmondson has signed a one-year deal with An Post-Chainreaction.
Edmondson turned professional with Sky ahead of the 2013 campaign but he failed to make a significant impact during his two years with the squad. The 22-year-old raced for the Great Britain national team at the Jayco Herald Sun Tour last month as he looked for a new contract, before eventually landing at Continental level with An Post.
"I got in touch with the team through speaking with [manager] Kurt Bogaerts and deciding together that the team would suit me," Edmondson said on the An Post-Chainreaction website. "I'm very excited about the coming season. I want to continue to learn this year and work on managing myself as an athlete. After a couple of years playing a team role at Sky I'm looking forward to racing aggressively and perhaps being able to race more in a style that suits me."
Edmondson’s stand-out display at Sky was arguably his strong showing at the Volta ao Algarve during his early months with the team but he made little impression thereafter. He had a low-key 2014 and his contract was not renewed at the end of last season.
Speaking to Cycling Weekly following his release, Sky performance manager Rod Ellingworth suggested that a lack of organisation was behind Edmondson’s disappointing spell with the team. "He is talented, but there is a lot of talent out there and this isn’t a conveyor belt," said Ellingworth.
The Irish-registered, Belgian-based An Post team’s racing programme is centred largely in Belgium and the Netherlands, but Edmondson, a strong climber, was nonetheless hopeful that he would have opportunities to shine.
"I built a lot of strength and a good base training and racing In Australia with the national team. In general I've worked very hard this winter and I feel like it is starting to pay off. I'm looking forward to the coming races and building further on my form," he said.
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"With Edmondson we have an extra rider with some additional qualities that we were missing," Bogaerts said.