Sean Kelly Team Jersey 2013The AnPost Sean Kelly pro cycling team is to have an additional sponsor this year in the form of online retailer Chain Reaction Cycles.
Based in Belgium but with a strong roster of young Irish cyclists, the team competes on the UCI European Tour.  It had its best ever season in 2012 coming 16th overall of 125 teams and landing stage wins in the An Post Rás.
As part of the deal the team will ride Vitus bikes, a brand revived by Chain Reaction Cycles from its glory days in the 1980’s.  There is a good historical link to the team as it was on Vitus Bikes that Kelly himself rode to the majority of his wins on the professional tour.
He has worked in design and promotion with the company in recent years and there is a limited signature edition of the bike that bears his name.  Chain Reaction Cycles has previously sponsored in cycling but this is the first time they have sponsored a road racing team.
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The value of the sponsorship, which will lead to the team’s new title of the An Post Chain reaction Cycles Sean Kelly team, is believed to be in the region of €300,000.
Chain Reaction Cycles was founded in Ballynure in Northern Ireland on the back of a £1,500 bank loan in 1984.  The family business moved to the neighbouring town of Ballyclare and adopted the Chain Reaction name so as to avoid having to change the name of the business each time it might move location.
It set up a mail order business and expanded rapidly before embracing online retailing in the past decade and becoming a major international player.
It is still privately owned by George and Janice Watson who founded it in 1984 and son Chris is now the Managing Director.  It is the Royal Mail’s largest customer in Northern Ireland and the largest Export account serviced by Parcelforce.
At a time when cycling is very much on the rise as a participation sport, it is great to see an Irish company supporting Irish talent on a world stage.
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