An Post–Chain Reaction
# An Post–Chain Reaction

An Post–Chain Reaction (UCI team code: SKT) is a UCI continental professional cycling team registered in the Republic of Ireland, based at the Sean Kelly Academy in Merchtem, Flanders. The team participates on the UCI Europe Tour. The squad is managed by Kurt Bogaerts and Sean Kelly with directeur sportif Andy Vanhoudt. The team disbanded at the end of the 2017 season, after they failed to find sponsorship.

## History

The team began in 2006 with the name Sean Kelly ACLVB–M Donnelly as the first Irish professional cycling team. Shortly after its launch another Irish continental team was launched, Murphy & Gunn–Newlyn. For the 2007 season, these two teams merged to form the Murphy & Gunn–Newlyn–M Donnelly–Sean Kelly squad. The team achieved several good results including second overall in the Rás Tailteann with Paídi O'Brien. At the end of 2007, it was announced that An Post would replace Murphy & Gunn as main sponsor while Grant Thornton replacing the Newlyn group as a co-sponsor. For the 2008 season, the team became more international with four Belgians, two Britons, one Swede and one German joining the six Irish riders. The team took its biggest win when Stephen Gallagher won the general classification of the Rás Tailteann. It has also taken overall victories in Vuelta a Extremadura (Daniel Lloyd), Tour des Pyrénées (Daniel Fleeman), and Ronde de l'Oise (Steven Van Vooren).

The team began as an Irish-registered team, becoming Belgian-registered between 2010 and 2013, primarily to gain access to races in Belgium. The team became Irish-registered again in 2014.

After failing to find sponsorship for the 2018 season, the team was forced to disband. Despite this the team are still looking for sponsorship to compete in the 2018 season.

## UCI Europe tour

The SKT team was UCI ranked 31st out of 125 teams at the end of the 2009 UCI Europe Tour season with 481 points. The team was ranked 46th out of 110 teams on the UCI Europe Tour rankings for 2010 with 314 points. It improved ranking to 21st out of 114 teams in 2011 with 648 points, with the team's highest points scorers being Mark McNally with 125 and Andrew Fenn, who scored 122. The team had their best ever season in 2012, finishing 16th out of 125 teams in the final rankings on 879 points. Gediminas Bagdonas was the team's highest points scorer with 346 points, a tally that was good enough to put him in tenth place in the individual standings. Niko Eeckhout contributed 187 points to the tally, while Kenneth Vanbilsen scored 131. In 2013 the team finished 28th overall with a total of 341 points.

## Team roster

As at 31 December 2017

| | Rider | Date of birth |
| - | - | - |
| Jonas Bokeloh (GER) | Jonas Bokeloh (GER) | (1996-03-16)16 March 1996 (aged 21) |
| Daniel Gardner (GBR) | Daniel Gardner (GBR) | (1996-03-06)6 March 1996 (aged 21) |
| Regan Gough (NZL) | Regan Gough (NZL) | (1996-10-06)6 October 1996 (aged 21) |
| Davy Gunst (NED) | Davy Gunst (NED) | (1995-01-30)30 January 1995 (aged 22) |
| Conor Hennebry (IRL) | Conor Hennebry (IRL) | (1993-02-16)16 February 1993 (aged 24) |
| Adam Jamieson (CAN) | Adam Jamieson (CAN) | (1996-02-12)12 February 1996 (aged 21) |
| Przemysław Kasperkiewicz (POL) | Przemysław Kasperkiewicz (POL) | (1994-03-01)1 March 1994 (aged 23) |
| Sean MacKinnon (CAN) | Sean MacKinnon (CAN) | (1995-11-24)24 November 1995 (aged 22) |
| | Rider | Date of birth |
| Sean McKenna (IRL) | Sean McKenna (IRL) | (1994-03-08)8 March 1994 (aged 23) |
| Albert Muela Galvez (ESP) | Albert Muela Galvez (ESP) | (1996-05-13)13 May 1996 (aged 21) |
| Jacob Scott (GBR) | Jacob Scott (GBR) | (1995-06-14)14 June 1995 (aged 22) |
| Damien Shaw (IRL) | Damien Shaw (IRL) | (1984-07-10)10 July 1984 (aged 33) |
| Mark Stewart (GBR) | Mark Stewart (GBR) | (1995-08-25)25 August 1995 (aged 22) |
| Matthew Teggart (IRL) | Matthew Teggart (IRL) | (1996-01-08)8 January 1996 (aged 21) |
| Bas Tietema (NED) | Bas Tietema (NED) | (1995-01-29)29 January 1995 (aged 22) |
| Massimo Vanderaerden (BEL) | Massimo Vanderaerden (BEL) | (1995-01-21)21 January 1995 (aged 22) |

## Major wins

### 2008

    Overall Vuelta a Extremadura, Daniel Lloyd
       Stage 1, Team Time Trial
    Overall FBD Insurance Rás, Stephen Gallagher
    Overall Tour des Pyrénées, Daniel Fleeman

### 2009

    Stages 4 & 5 Vuelta a Extremadura, Niko Eeckhout
    Stage 1 FBD Insurance Rás, Niko Eeckhout
    Overall Ronde de l'Oise, Steven Van Vooren
    Grote Prijs Stad Zottegem, Niko Eeckhout
    Memorial Rik Van Steenbergen, Niko Eeckhout

### 2010

    Ireland Irish Road Race Championship, Matt Brammeier
    Stage 5 Étoile de Bessèges, Niko Eeckhout
    Stage 3 Ronde de l'Oise, Niko Eeckhout
    Stage 3 FBD Insurance Rás, David O'Loughlin
    Stage 7 FBD Insurance Rás, Mark Cassidy

### 2011

    Lithuania Time Trial Championships, Gediminas Bagdonas
    Stage 2 Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen, Niko Eeckhout
    Stage 7 Tour de Bretagne Cycliste, Andrew Fenn
    Overall An Post Rás, Gediminas Bagdonas
       Stages 2 & 4, Gediminas Bagdonas
    Memorial Van Coningsloo, Andrew Fenn
    Overall Ronde de l'Oise, Gediminas Bagdonas
       Stage 2, Gediminas Bagdonas
    GP Stad Geel, Sam Bennett
    Overall Mi-Août en Bretagne, Mark McNally
    Stage 7 Tour of Britain, Gediminas Bagdonas

### 2012

    Lithuania Road Race Championships, Gediminas Bagdonas
    Kattekoers, Roy Jans
    Ronde van Noord-Holland, Gediminas Bagdonas
    Omloop der Kempen, Niko Eeckhout
    Stages 3 & 8 An Post Rás, Gediminas Bagdonas
    Memorial Van Coningsloo, Gediminas Bagdonas
    Schaal Sels, Niko Eeckhout

### 2013

    Stage 5 Tour of Britain, Sam Bennett
    Stage 2 An Post Rás, Shane Archbold
    Stages 3 & 8 An Post Rás, Sam Bennett
    Stage 2 Ronde de l'Oise, Glenn O'Shea
    Ireland Under-23 Road Race Championships, Jack Wilson

### 2014

    Stage 1 An Post Rás, Robert-Jon McCarthy
    Ireland Under-23 Time Trial Championships, Ryan Mullen
    Ireland Road Race Championships, Ryan Mullen
    Ireland Under-23 Road Race Championships, Ryan Mullen

### 2015

    Stage 3 Tour d'Azerbaïdjan, Josh Edmondson
    Stages 2 & 5 An Post Rás, Aaron Gate
    Stages 4 & 8 An Post Rás, Aidis Kruopis
    Overall Ronde de l'Oise, Josh Edmondson
       Stage 4, Josh Edmondson
    Ireland Time Trial Championships, Ryan Mullen
    Lithuania Road Race Championships, Aidis Kruopis
    Antwerpse Havenpijl, Aidis Kruopis

### 2017

    New Zealand Under-23 Time Trial Championships, Regan Gough
    New Zealand Under-23 Road Race Championships, Regan Gough
    Stage 1 Tour du Loir et Cher, Damien Shaw
    Stage 5 Tour de Bretagne, Przemysław Kasperkiewicz
    Stage 3 An Post Rás, Matthew Teggart
    Stage 5 An Post Rás, Regan Gough
    Stage 8 An Post Rás, Przemysław Kasperkiewicz

## National champions

### 2010

    Ireland Road Race Matt Brammeier

### 2011

    Lithuania Time Trial Gediminas Bagdonas

### 2012

    Lithuania Road Race Gediminas Bagdonas

### 2013

    Ireland Under-23 Road Race Jack Wilson

### 2014

    Ireland Under-23 Time Trial Ryan Mullen
    Ireland Road Race Ryan Mullen
    Ireland Under-23 Road Race Ryan Mullen

### 2015

    Ireland Time Trial Ryan Mullen
    Lithuania Road Race Aidis Kruopis

### 2017

    New Zealand Under-23 Time Trial, Regan Gough
    New Zealand Under-23 Road Race, Regan Gough
