View source for An Post–Chain Reaction

{{short description|Cycling team}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox cycling team
| name    = An Post–Chain Reaction
| image       = Waver - Memorial Philippe Van Coningsloo, 8 juni 2014, vertrek (C66).JPG|thumb
| caption     = An Post–Chain Reaction team car at the 2014 [[Memorial Philippe Van Coningsloo]]
| code        = SKT
| registered        = {{ubl|Ireland (2006-09, 2014-17)| Belgium (2010-13)}}
| founded     = {{start date|2006}}
| disbanded   = 2017
| bicycles    = [[Vitus (bicycles)|Vitus]]
| website     = http://www.anpostchainreaction.com/
| generalmanager     = [[Kurt Bogaerts]]
| teammanager = [[Niko Eeckhout]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/15964/Eeckhout-takes-up-coaching-and-directeur-sportif-role-with-An-Post-Chainreaction-Sean-Kelly-team.aspx |title=Eeckhout takes up coaching and directeur sportif role with An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly team |last1=Stoes |first1=Shane|date=7 December 2013 |website=velonation.com |access-date=5 August 2014}}</ref>
| discipline  = [[Road bicycle racing|Road]]
| status      = [[UCI Continental]]
| season      = 2006<br />2007<br />2008–2011<br />2012<br />2013–2017
| oldname     = Sean Kelly ACLVB–M Donnelly <br />Murphy & Gunn–Newlyn–M Donnelly–Sean Kelly<br />An Post–M Donnelly–Grant Thornton–Sean Kelly<br />An Post–Sean Kelly <br />An Post–Chain Reaction
| kitimage    = An Post–Sean Kelly jersey.jpg
}}
'''An Post–Chain Reaction''' ({{UCI code|SKT}}) was an [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]]-[[Belgium|Belgian]] professional [[cycling team]] that competed at [[UCI Continental Circuits|UCI Continental]] level. The squad was managed by [[Sean Kelly (cyclist)|Sean Kelly]] and [[Kurt Bogaerts]].

It contested one-day and stage races at events across Europe, with riders taking overall victories on the [[UCI Europe Tour]] at races including [[Vuelta a Extremadura]] in Spain, [[Rás Tailteann]] in Ireland and [[Ronde de l'Oise]] in France. There were also successes in higher-category races including the one-day [[Schaal Sels]] in Belgium and two stage wins at the [[Tour of Britain]]. Six elite national road and time trial championships were won by riders contracted to the team.

The squad was based in [[Belgium]] at the Sean Kelly Academy in the [[Flanders]] town of [[Merchtem]]. It was originally registered as an Irish team before switching to Belgian registration in 2010 to gain access to more races in that country. The team became Irish-registered again in 2014 and declared an ambition to move up to professional continental level.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/an-post-chainreaction-to-register-as-irish-targets-pro-conti-status-and-more-sponsors/ |title=An Post Chainreaction to register as Irish; targets pro-continental status and more sponsors|date=8 December 2013 |publisher=stickybottle.com|access-date=9 December 2013}}</ref> However, the team disbanded at the end of the 2017 season after failing to find sponsorship for 2018.

== 2006 season ==
[[File:Sean Kelly, Tour de France 2009.jpg|thumb|150px|Team founder Sean Kelly]]

[[1988 Vuelta a España]] champion and seven-time [[Paris–Nice]] winner [[Sean Kelly (cyclist)|Sean Kelly]] launched the first Irish professional cycling team in 2006 with the name Sean Kelly ACLVB–M Donnelly. Its sponsors were [[ACLVB]], the General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.aclvb.be/nl | title=ACLVB }}</ref> and M Donnelly, a Dublin-registered company with interests in various technical, sporting and commercial lines of business.<ref>{{Cite web |title=M. DONNELLY & CO. LIMITED |url=https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.m_donnelly__co_limited.6a02218aaefc6fcb3241a3c6cce105ee.html |website=www.dnb.com}}</ref>

The team did not win a race in its debut season but there were podium finishes for Jehudi Schoonacker on stage seven of [[Rás Tailteann]], known at that time as FBD Insurance Rás, and [[Paídi O'Brien]] in the [[Irish National Cycling Championships|Irish National Championships Road Race]].

Eighteen riders competed for the team in its first year, ten from Ireland and eight from Belgium. [[Kurt Bogaerts]] was part of the Belgian contingent in his final year as a professional cyclist. He was appointed general manager of the team for the 2007 season.<ref>[https://www.procyclingstats.com/team/sean-kelly-team-2006 ProCyclingStats - Sean Kelly Team 2006]</ref>

== 2007 season ==

Murphy & Gunn–Newlyn, another Irish continental team, was launched later in 2006. For the 2007 season, the two teams merged to form the Murphy & Gunn–Newlyn–M Donnelly–Sean Kelly squad.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/2007/teams2007/SKT.shtml|title=2007 team database. Note at bottom stating merger, Cyclingnews.com|publisher=cyclingnews.com|access-date=26 April 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/features.php?id=features/2007/murphygunn|title=New look Irish continental team launched in Dublin|publisher=Cyclingnews.com|access-date=25 May 2008}}</ref>

The wait for a first victory would go on but [[Paídi O'Brien]] finished second overall at [[FBD Insurance Rás]] after taking second place finishes on stages one, three and five. Future four-time [[UCI Road World Championships – Men's time trial|World Time Trial Champion]] [[Tony Martin (cyclist)|Tony Martin]] took the overall win by seventeen seconds. O'Brien also finished second in the Irish National Championships Road Race, with teammate [[Mark Cassidy]] in third.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fbdinsuranceras.com/event/fbdras_318.shtml|title=Kenneally Takes Final Stage, Martin Wins Overall|publisher=FBD Insurance Rás.com|access-date=25 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218175609/http://www.fbdinsuranceras.com/event/fbdras_318.shtml|archive-date=18 December 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

At the end of 2007, it was announced that the team would retain three title sponsors as well as the name of its founder for 2008. [[An Post]], the national postal service of Ireland, would replace Murphy & Gunn as main sponsor while professional services company [[Grant Thornton]] replaced the Newlyn group as a co-sponsor.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/cycling/2007/1206/seankelly.html?rss|title=An Post to sponsor Sean Kelly team|publisher=RTE.ie|access-date=25 May 2008|date=6 December 2007}}</ref>

== 2008 season ==

For the 2008 season, the team now known as An Post–M Donnelly–Grant Thornton–Sean Kelly became more international after fielding just one rider from outside Belgium and Ireland in its first two seasons. Professionals from [[United Kingdom|Britain]], [[Sweden]], [[Germany]] and [[the Netherlands]] joined the one Belgian and four Irish riders that remained with the team after 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/features.php?id=features/2008/sean_kelly_launch08|title=Sean Kelly pushes harder for 2008|publisher=Cyclingnews.com|access-date=25 May 2008}}</ref>

The team's breakthrough success came at the 2008 [[Vuelta a Extremadura]]. The team was victorious on stage 1, a [[team time trial]], with a margin of thirty seconds to [[Madeinox-Boavista]] in second place. [[Paidi O'Brien]] crossed the line first and wore the leader's jersey on stage two before it passed to teammate [[Benny De Schrooder]] on stage three. The Belgian held the jersey until the end of stage four, with English rider [[Daniel Lloyd (cyclist)|Daniel Lloyd]] taking the lead into the fifth and final stage. Lloyd finished in the leading group to seal a first overall victory for himself and the team by 36 seconds.<ref>{{Citation|last=procyclingstats|title=Daniel Lloyd|date=2012-12-31|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/daniel-lloyd1/2008|accessdate=2022-08-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2008-04-29 |title=LLOYD WINS SPANISH STAGE RACE |url=https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/lloyd-wins-spanish-stage-race-96469 |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=cyclingweekly.com |language=en}}</ref>

2008 also saw overall victories for [[Stephen Gallagher (cyclist)|Stephen Gallagher]] at [[FBD Insurance Rás]] in Ireland and [[Daniel Fleeman]] at the [[Tour des Pyrénées]] which was held in France and Spain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=An Post-M.Donnelly-Grant Thornton-Sean Kelly Team 2008 |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/team/an-post-mdonnelly-2008 |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=www.procyclingstats.com}}</ref>

Lloyd and Fleeman left the team after the 2008 season, both joining {{UCI team code|CTT|2009}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/Lloyd_and_Fleeman_set_for_Cervelo_team_article_266869.html |title=LLOYD AND FLEEMAN SET FOR CERVELO TEAM |publisher=Cycling Weekly |accessdate=2008-09-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009171843/http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lloyd_and_fleeman_set_for_cervelo_team_article_266869.html |archivedate=9 October 2008 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cervelo Test Team 2009 |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/team/cervelo-test-team-2009 |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=www.procyclingstats.com}}</ref>

== 2009 season ==
[[File:Niko Eeckhout 3DWV2011 1.JPG|thumb|Niko Eeckhout]]

The team took six professional victories in 2009, of which five went to former [[Belgian National Road Race Championships|Belgian National Road Race Champion]] [[Niko Eeckhout]] in his first season with the team. The thirty-eight year old two-time [[Dwars door Vlaanderen]] winner said this would be his last professional team and that he had already discussed moving into management with team boss Sean Kelly and general manager Kurt Bogaerts. He also brought new sponsors, with the construction and truck repair companies owned by his brothers giving financial and logistical support to the team.<ref>[https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/g6622ahtr Nieuwsblad.be - Brotherly love keeps Niko Eeckhout in the peloton]</ref>

Eeckhout followed up the team's 2008 success at the Vuelta a Extremadura with two stage victories at the Spanish race, and took a stage and the points jersey at Rás Tailteann. He also scored one-day race wins at [[Grote Prijs Stad Zottegem]] and [[Memorial Rik Van Steenbergen]], as well as a second-place finish at Dwars door Vlaanderen.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/niko-eeckhout/2009 | title=Niko Eeckhout }}</ref>

[[Steven Van Vooren]] took the other win with overall victory at [[Ronde de l'Oise]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=An Post-M.Donnelly-Grant Thornton-Sean Kelly Team 2009 |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/team/an-post-mdonnelly-2009 |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=www.procyclingstats.com}}</ref> [[David O'Loughlin]] and Paidi O'Brien finished second and third respectively in the [[Irish National Cycling Championships]] road race.

== 2010 season ==
The team switched registration from Ireland to Belgium for the 2010 season. Despite being based in Flanders, the team's owners and sponsors were Irish and had maintained its official domicile there since launching in 2006. However, being a foreign-registered team competing below the Professional Continental level meant the team was ineligible for many Belgian races, including the [[Tour of Belgium]] and [[E3 Harelbeke]]. Team General Manager [[Kurt Bogaerts]] noted that moving to Professional Continental level would be prohibitively expensive, but switching to Belgium was possible as long as there were at least eight Belgian riders in the squad. He expected this would allow the team to compete in 10-20 more races per season.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/belgian-registration-for-an-post-sean-kelly-team/ | title=Belgian registration for an Post Sean Kelly Team | date=27 November 2009 }}</ref>

A rider from the team claimed a national championship for the first time when [[Matt Brammeier]] took the first of his four consecutive victories in the [[Irish National Cycling Championships]] road race. Liverpool-born Brammeier had previously represented Great Britain but switched his allegiance to Ireland prior to the 2010 season.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/belgian-registration-for-an-post-sean-kelly-team/ | title=Belgian registration for an Post Sean Kelly Team | date=27 November 2009 }}</ref> [[Nico Eeckhout]] took stage wins at [[Ronde de l'Oise]] and [[Etoile de Bessèges]], and [[Mark Cassidy]] and [[David O'Loughlin]] both won a stage at [[FBD Insurance Rás]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=An Post-M.Donnelly-Grant Thornton-Sean Kelly Team 2010 |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/team/an-post-mdonnelly-2010/overview/ |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=www.procyclingstats.com}}</ref>

== 2011 season ==
[[file:Gediminas Bagdonas - 2018 UEC European Road Cycling Championships (Men's road race).jpg|thumb|150px|Gediminas Bagdonas]]

Lithuanian rider [[Gediminas Bagdonas]] joined the team for 2011 and quickly established himself as a stand-out performer. Bagdonas delighted the team's title sponsor at [[Rás Tailteann]], which became known that year as An Post Rás, with wins on stages two and four on his way to the overall victory. He won a stage on his way to another overall victory at [[Ronde de l'Oise]] before taking his second [[Lithuanian National Time Trial Championships]] title. He rounded out a fine year with victory on stage seven ahead of a high-quality field at the [[2011 Tour of Britain]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gediminas Bagdonas |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/gediminas-bagdonas |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=www.procyclingstats.com}}</ref>

An Post also signed the promising Irish sprinter [[Sam Bennett (cyclist)|Sam Bennett]] who quickly showed his quality with second place on stage one of An Post Rás. The future winner of stages at all three [[Grand Tour (cycling)|Grand Tour]] races would take his first victory for the team at [[Grote Prijs Stad Geel]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sam Bennett |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/sam-bennett |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=www.procyclingstats.com}}</ref> [[Andrew Fenn]] took a stage at [[ Le Tour de Bretagne Cycliste]] and won the one-day race [[Memorial Philippe Van Coningsloo]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andrew Fenn |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/andrew-fenn |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=www.procyclingstats.com}}</ref> Nico Eeckhout's sole victory came early in the year at [[Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen]] and [[Mark McNally (cyclist)|Mark McNally]] claimed overall victory at the [[Mi-août en Bretagne]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=An Post-M.Donnelly-Grant Thornton-Sean Kelly Team 2011 |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/team/an-post-mdonnelly-2011 |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=www.procyclingstats.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2011-08-15 |title=La Mi-Août en Bretagne 2011: Stage 4 Results |url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/la-mi-aout-en-bretagne/stage-4/results/ |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=cyclingnews.com |language=en}}</ref>

== 2012 season ==

The team name changed to An Post–Sean Kelly for the 2012 season after sponsorship arrangements ended with Grant Thornton and M Donnelly.

Gediminas Bagdonas had another strong season, taking five victories representing An Post. These included his first [[Lithuanian National Road Race Championships]] title, two stages of An Post Rás and victories in the one-day Memorial Philippe Van Coningsloo and [[Ronde van Noord-Holland]] races. He also won three stages and the overall victory at the [[Baltic Chain Tour]] representing the Lithuania national team, finished 3rd in his national time trial championships, came 59th in the [[Cycling at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's individual road race|2012 Olympic Games road race]] and took the points jersey at An Post Rás.

Aged forty-one, Nico Eeckhout scored two of the biggest one-day wins in the team's history with victories at [[Schaal Sels]] and [[Omloop der Kempen]]. [[Roy Jans]] claimed the [[Kattekoers]], a race Eeckhout had won twenty years previously, and [[Kenneth Vanbilsen]] took the win at [[Ronde van Vlaanderen U23]] representing the Belgian National Team.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/team/an-post-sean-kelly-2012/overview/ | title=An Post - Sean Kelly 2012 }}</ref>

Bagdonas left the team at the end of 2012, joining {{UCI team code|DAT|2013}}.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.velonation.com/News/currentpage/160.aspx | title=Cycling News &#124; VeloNation }}</ref>

== 2013 season ==
[[File:Sam Bennett leads Gerald Ciolek 2 (17023165248).jpg|thumb|200px|Sam Bennett at the [[2013 Tour of Britain]]]] 

The team brought in a new co-sponsor and became known as An Post–Chain Reaction. [[Chain Reaction Cycles]] was a Northern Irish cycling business that began as a bike shop in [[Ballynure]] and by 2013 had grown into an international retailer. This was also the final year that the team was registered in Belgium.

The squad achieved five professional wins in 2013, all of which were individual stages. Sam Bennett took three of these, winning stage five at the [[2013 Tour of Britain]] and stages three and eight at An Post Rás. Bennett also came second on stage two at the Tour of Britain, losing out to [[Gerald Ciolek]] in the sprint to the line.

[[Shane Archbold]] took a stage win at the Rás, and [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] and [[Commonwealth Games]] medallist [[Glenn O'Shea]] won a stage at Ronde de l'Oise before being transferred to [[Garmin-Sharp]] in midseason. Jack Wilson was the [[Irish National Cycling Championships|Ireland Under-23 Road Race]] champion.

[[Niko Eeckhout]] had two podium results and retired at the end of the season at the age of forty-three. As planned when he joined the team in 2009, he remained with the squad as a [[directeur sportif]].

== 2014 season ==
[[File:ToB 2014 stage 1 DSC 6907 (14990105980).jpg|thumb|200px|Ryan Mullen wearing the Irish national champion's jersey at the [[2014 Tour of Britain]]]]

After four years of being registered in Belgium, the team returned to Irish registration in 2014. General Manager [[Kurt Bogaerts]] stated towards the end of 2013 that Belgian rules regarding the number of domestic riders were becoming an issue, and that the team would benefit from more invitations to significant races such as [[Tour d'Azerbaïdjan]] as an Irish team. He also spoke of plans to race as a professional continental team in 2015 while maintaining a development squad at continental level.<ref>[https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/an-post-chainreaction-to-register-as-irish-targets-pro-conti-status-and-more-sponsors/ stickybottle.com - An Post–Chain Reaction to register as Irish]</ref>

[[Robert-Jon McCarthy]] took the only UCI Tour victory of the season in team colours, winning stage one of the year's An Post Rás.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/cycling/an-post-ras/2014/0518/618148-mccarthy-claims-opening-stage-of-the-ras/|title=McCarthy claims opening stage of the Rás|date=18 May 2014|publisher=RTÉ Sport|accessdate=13 January 2015}}</ref> He wore the leader's jersey on stage two and also led the points and youth classifications but lost over ten minutes to his rivals on the second day and dropped down the order. Irish-born McCarthy had elected to represent [[Australia]] having moved there as a teenager, and also won a stage at the 2014 [[Herald Sun Tour]] riding for the Australia U23 National Team.<ref>[https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/herald-sun-tour/2014/stage-3 ProCyclingStats.com - 2014 Herald Sun Tour Stage 3]</ref>

[[Ryan Mullen]] took a hat-trick of wins at the [[Irish National Cycling Championships]] in his first season with the team, claiming the Elite Men's Road Race and the under-23 Road and Time Trial titles. Teammate [[Sean Downey]] finished the elite road race over a minute behind Mullen in second place, with former team rider [[Paidi O'Brien]] in third.<ref>[https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/nc-ireland/2014/result ProCyclingStats.com - 2014 Irish National Championships Road Race]</ref>

Future [[Cycling at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's team pursuit|Olympic track gold medallist]] [[Owain Doull]] spent 2014 with the team in his first year as a professional.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/15671/Ryan-Mullen-and-Owain-Doull-sign-for-An-Post-Chainreaction-Sean-Kelly-team.aspx|title=Ryan Mullen and Owain Doull sign for An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly team|first=Shane|last=Stokes|work=VeloNation|publisher=VeloNation LLC|date=21 October 2013|access-date=18 December 2013}}</ref> He won stage three and took the overall victory at [[Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux]] riding for the Great Britain National Team, with [[Tiesj Benoot]] and [[Alex Kirsch]] joining him on the final podium.

[[Shane Archbold]] was winless on the road but came second on stage five at the [[2014 Tour of Britain|Tour of Britain]] and claimed the gold medal in the [[Cycling at the 2014 Commonwealth Games – Men's scratch race|scratch race]] at the [[2014 Commonwealth Games]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://g2014results.thecgf.com/athlete/cycling_track/1032480/shane_archbold.html|title=Glasgow 2014 – Shane Archbold Profile|website=g2014results.thecgf.com|access-date=2017-11-19}}</ref>

== 2015 season ==
[[File:Merksem (Antwerpen) - Antwerpse Havenpijl, zondag 9 augustus 2015 (B11).JPG|thumb|150px|Aidis Kruopis in the Lithuania National Champion's jersey]]

2015 saw the team take ten wins including two national championships. [[Aaron Gate]] and [[Aidis Kruopis]] both won two stages at An Post Rás, with Gate taking the points jersey and Kruopis winning the mountains classification. Five team riders finished in the top twelve of the final standings with [[Josh Edmondson (cyclist)|Josh Edmondson]] and [[Ryan Mullen]] placing second and third respectively behind future [[Giro d'Italia]] stage winner [[Lukas Pöstlberger]].<ref>[https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/fbd-insurance-ras/2015/gc ProCyclingStats - An Post Ras 2015]</ref>

Mullen completed his set of elite and under-23 Irish titles, becoming the youngest ever winner of the Irish National Championships Time Trial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/ryan-mullen-signs-for-cannondale-garmin-187652 |title=Ryan Mullen signs for Cannondale-Garmin |last1=Clarke |first1=Stuart |date=19 August 2015 |website=[[Cycling Weekly]] | access-date=19 August 2015}}</ref> Kruopis added [[Antwerpse Havenpijl]] and the Lithuanian National Championships Road Race to his palmares while Edmondson took the overall win and a stage at Ronde de l'Oise. Edmondson also won stage three of the [[2015 Tour d'Azerbaïdjan|Tour d'Azerbaïdjan]] and finished in sixth place overall, with [[Primož Roglič]] taking the race victory.

Mullen left the team during the season, joining {{UCI team code|TCG|2015}} as a [[Stagiaire (cycling)|stagiaire]] in August.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cannondale-Garmin sign Bevin, Mullen |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cannondale-garmin-sign-bevin-mullen/ |access-date=19 August 2015 |work=Cyclingnews.com |date=19 August 2015}}</ref>

== 2016 season ==

Reigning Irish National Road Race champion [[Damien Shaw]] joined the team for 2016. Shaw would relinquish the shamrock jersey, his best results being fifth overall at An Post Rás and fifth as he attempted to defend his national championship. 

[[Nicolas Vereecken]] won stage two at the [[Circuit des Ardennes International]] and Aaron Gate took a stage at An Post Rás. Gate claimed a second consecutive points competition victory and finished the Rás one place behind Shaw in an event that attracted several big names. [[Clemens Fankhauser]] took his second general classification victory at the Irish race with future [[UCI WorldTour]] riders [[Jai Hindley]], [[Lucas Hamilton]] and [[Eddie Dunbar]] occupying the next three places.<ref>[https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/fbd-insurance-ras/2016/gc ProCyclingStats.com - 2016 An Post Rás]</ref>

== 2017 season ==
[[File:Damien Shaw.jpg|thumb|150px|Damien Shaw]]

The team added a further five wins to its palmares in what would prove to be its final season. [[An Post]] announced in March 2017 that it was ending its cycling sponsorships at the end of the year, a move that would ultimately lead to the closure of the team. Team principal Sean Kelly thanked An Post for its support for the team and Irish cycling as a whole, highlighting the development of riders including [[Sam Bennett (cyclist)|Sam Bennett]] that had gone on to compete at the highest level of the sport.<ref>[https://www.anpost.com/Media-Centre/News/An-Post-to-conclude-cycling-sponsorships An Post Media Centre - An Post to conclude cycling sponsorships]</ref> 

[[Regan Gough]] started the year by winning the New Zealand National Cycling Championships [[New Zealand National Time Trial Championships|under-23 time trial]], and was the highest placed under-23 in the combined [[New Zealand National Road Race Championships|road race]]. He also won a stage later in the season at An Post Rás. [[Przemysław Kasperkiewicz]] took two wins in the season with stages at An Post Rás and [[Tour de Bretagne]].<ref>[https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/gullens-travails-earn-him-ras-glory-as-kasperkiewicz-takes-stage/35765391.html Irish Independent - Gullen's travails earn him Ras glory as Kasperkiewicz takes stage]</ref><ref>[https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/kolarstwo/683807/przemyslaw-kasperkiewicz-wygral-etap-tour-de-bretagne Sportowefakty - Przemysław Kasperkiewicz wygrał etap Tour de Bretagne]</ref>

Damien Shaw was victorious on stage one and held the race lead for three days of the [[Tour du Loir et Cher]]. Shaw finished the race in sixth place, within a minute of winner [[Alexander Kamp]] and twelve seconds behind fourth-placed finisher and future [[Tour de France]] winner [[Jonas Vingegaard]].<ref>[https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-du-loir-et-cher/2017/gc ProCyclingStats - Tour du Loir et Cher 2017]</ref> 

[[Matthew Teggart]] was the winner of stage three at [[An Post Rás]]. This was the only victory of his professional career, and ensured that the team's streak of winning a stage or the overall at the race extended to ten consecutive seasons. In all, the team took two overall victories and nineteen stage wins at Rás Tailteann, and only once failed to have a rider finish in the overall top-ten between 2007 and 2017.<ref>[https://www.procyclingstats.com/team-in-race/an-post-chain-reaction-2017/fbd-insurance-ras/stage-wins An Post-Chain Reaction at Rás Tailteann - ProCyclingStats]</ref>

== Overall record ==

During its twelve seasons of racing from 2006 to 2017, the team claimed eight elite general classification victories in professional stage races. All of these came on the [[UCI Europe Tour]] at events held in [[Ireland]], [[France]] and [[Spain]]. The team also took ten one-day race victories, six elite national championship road and time trial titles - three in Ireland and three in [[Lithuania]] - and thirty-five individual stages for a total of fifty-nine professional victories. A further seven wins - two general classifications and five stages - were taken by riders temporarily representing their national teams.<ref>[https://www.procyclingstats.com/team/an-post-mdonnelly-2011/wins/wins-per-season ProCyclingStats - An Post–Chain Reaction Wins by Season]</ref>

The team also took five victories in under-23 national championship races, three of which were in Ireland and two in [[New Zealand]]. One additional junior win, the 2012 [[Tour of Flanders U23]], was taken by [[Kenneth Vanbilsen]] while representing the Belgian national team.

[[Gediminas Bagdonas]] was the most successful rider in terms of wins, taking twelve victories for the team and a further four representing the Lithuania national team. [[Niko Eeckhout]] had the second highest number of victories with ten. 2011 was the most successful season for the team  with twelve victories including three general classification wins.

All but one of the team's elite wins came in Europe, the sole exception being stage three of the 2015 [[Tour d'Azerbaïdjan]] which was won by [[Josh Edmondson (cyclist)|Josh Edmondson]]. [[Azerbaijan]] straddles the [[Boundaries_between_the_continents#Asia_and_Europe|border between Europe and Asia]], with the stage being held just south of the recognised boundary between the two continents and therefore on the Asian side. [[Robert-Jon McCarthy]] also won a [[UCI Continental Circuits|UCI Tour]] race outside Europe while contracted to the team, taking stage three of the 2014 [[Herald Sun Tour]] in [[Victoria, Australia]] riding for the Australia U23 National Team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/jayco-herald-sun-tour-2014-2014/stage-3/results|title=Jayco Herald Sun Tour 2014|work=Cyclingnews.com|accessdate=13 January 2015}}</ref>

== Ranking performance ==

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 (cyclist)|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
{{Cycling squad start}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=[[Jonas Bokeloh]]|nat=GER|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1996|3|16}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=[[Daniel Gardner (cyclist)|Daniel Gardner]]|nat=GBR|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1996|3|6}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=[[Regan Gough]]|nat=NZL|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1996|10|6}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=Davy Gunst|nat=NED|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1995|1|30}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=Conor Hennebry|nat=IRL|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1993|2|16}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=[[Adam Jamieson]]|nat=CAN|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1996|2|12}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=[[Przemysław Kasperkiewicz]]|nat=POL|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1994|3|1}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=[[Sean MacKinnon]]|nat=CAN|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1995|11|24}}}}
{{Cycling squad mid}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=[[Sean McKenna (cyclist)|Sean McKenna]]|nat=IRL|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1994|3|8}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=Albert Muela Galvez|nat=ESP|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1996|5|13}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=[[Jacob Scott]]|nat=GBR|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1995|6|14}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=[[Damien Shaw]]|nat=IRL|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1984|7|10}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=[[Mark Stewart (cyclist)|Mark Stewart]]|nat=GBR|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1995|8|25}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=[[Matthew Teggart]]|nat=IRL|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1996|1|8}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=[[Bas Tietema]]|nat=NED|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1995|1|29}}}}
{{Cycling squad rider|name=Massimo Vanderaerden|nat=BEL|birthdate={{Birth date and age2|df=yes|2017|12|31|1995|1|21}}}}
{{Cycling squad end}}

== Major wins ==
{{Palmares start}}
;2008
:Overall [[Vuelta a Extremadura]], [[Daniel Lloyd (cyclist)|Daniel Lloyd]]
::Stage 1, Team Time Trial
:Overall [[Rás Tailteann|FBD Insurance Rás]], [[Stephen Gallagher (cyclist)|Stephen Gallagher]]
:Overall [[Tour des Pyrénées]], [[Daniel Fleeman]]

;2009
:Stages 4 & 5 [[Vuelta a Extremadura]], [[Niko Eeckhout]]
:Stage 1 [[Rás Tailteann|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
:{{IRL}} [[Irish National Cycling Championships|Irish Road Race Championship]], [[Matt Brammeier]]
:Stage 5 [[Étoile de Bessèges]], [[Niko Eeckhout]]
:Stage 3 [[Ronde de l'Oise]], [[Niko Eeckhout]]
:Stage 3 [[Rás Tailteann|FBD Insurance Rás]], [[David O'Loughlin]]
:Stage 7 [[Rás Tailteann|FBD Insurance Rás]], [[Mark Cassidy]]

;2011
:{{LTU}} Time Trial Championships, [[Gediminas Bagdonas]]
:Stage 2 [[Dwars door West-Vlaanderen|Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen]], [[Niko Eeckhout]]
:Stage 7 [[Tour de Bretagne Cycliste]], [[Andrew Fenn]]
:Overall [[Rás Tailteann|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 (cyclist)|Sam Bennett]]
:Overall [[Mi-Août en Bretagne]], [[Mark McNally (cyclist)|Mark McNally]]
:Stage 7 [[2011 Tour of Britain|Tour of Britain]], [[Gediminas Bagdonas]]

;2012
:{{LTU}} Road Race Championships, [[Gediminas Bagdonas]]
:[[Kattekoers]], [[Roy Jans]]
:[[Ronde van Noord-Holland]], [[Gediminas Bagdonas]]
:[[Omloop der Kempen]], [[Niko Eeckhout]]
:Stages 3 & 8 [[Rás Tailteann|An Post Rás]], [[Gediminas Bagdonas]]
:[[Memorial Van Coningsloo]], [[Gediminas Bagdonas]]
:[[Schaal Sels]], [[Niko Eeckhout]]

;2013
:Stage 5 [[2013 Tour of Britain|Tour of Britain]], [[Sam Bennett (cyclist)|Sam Bennett]]
:Stage 2 [[Rás Tailteann|An Post Rás]], [[Shane Archbold]]
:Stages 3 & 8 [[Rás Tailteann|An Post Rás]], [[Sam Bennett (cyclist)|Sam Bennett]]
:Stage 2 [[Ronde de l'Oise]], [[Glenn O'Shea]]
:{{IRL}} [[Irish National Cycling Championships|Under-23 Road Race Championships]], Jack Wilson

;2014
:Stage 1 [[Rás Tailteann|An Post Rás]], [[Robert-Jon McCarthy]]
:{{IRL}} Under-23 Time Trial Championships, [[Ryan Mullen]]
:{{IRL}} Road Race Championships, [[Ryan Mullen]]
:{{IRL}} [[Irish National Cycling Championships|Under-23 Road Race Championships]], [[Ryan Mullen]]

;2015
:Stage 3 [[2015 Tour d'Azerbaïdjan|Tour d'Azerbaïdjan]], [[Josh Edmondson (cyclist)|Josh Edmondson]]
:Stages 2 & 5 [[Rás Tailteann|An Post Rás]], [[Aaron Gate]]
:Stages 4 & 8 [[Rás Tailteann|An Post Rás]], [[Aidis Kruopis]]
:Overall [[Ronde de l'Oise]], [[Josh Edmondson (cyclist)|Josh Edmondson]]
::Stage 4, [[Josh Edmondson (cyclist)|Josh Edmondson]]
:{{IRL}} Time Trial Championships, [[Ryan Mullen]]
:{{LTU}} Road Race Championships, [[Aidis Kruopis]]
:[[Antwerpse Havenpijl]], [[Aidis Kruopis]]

;2016
: Stage 6 [[Rás Tailteann|An Post Rás]], [[Aaron Gate]]
: Stage 2 [[Circuit des Ardennes International]], [[Nicolas Vereecken]]

;2017
:{{NZL}} Under-23 Time Trial Championships, [[Regan Gough]]
:{{NZL}} 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 [[Rás Tailteann|An Post Rás]], [[Matthew Teggart]]
:Stage 5 [[Rás Tailteann|An Post Rás]], [[Regan Gough]]
:Stage 8 [[Rás Tailteann|An Post Rás]], [[Przemysław Kasperkiewicz]]
{{Palmares end}}

== National champions ==
;2010
:[[File:MaillotIrlanda.PNG|20px]] Ireland Road Race [[Matt Brammeier]]

;2011
:[[File:MaillotLituania.PNG|20px]] Lithuania Time Trial [[Gediminas Bagdonas]]

;2012
:[[File:MaillotLituania.PNG|20px]] Lithuania Road Race [[Gediminas Bagdonas]]

;2013
:[[File:MaillotIrlanda.PNG|20px]] Ireland Under-23 Road Race Jack Wilson

;2014
:[[File:MaillotIrlanda.PNG|20px]] Ireland Under-23 Time Trial [[Ryan Mullen]]
:[[File:MaillotIrlanda.PNG|20px]] Ireland Road Race [[Ryan Mullen]]
:[[File:MaillotIrlanda.PNG|20px]] Ireland Under-23 Road Race [[Ryan Mullen]]

;2015
:[[File:MaillotIrlanda.PNG|20px]] Ireland Time Trial [[Ryan Mullen]]
:[[File:MaillotLituania.PNG|20px]] Lithuania Road Race [[Aidis Kruopis]]

;2017
:[[File:MaillotNuevaZelanda.PNG|20px]] New Zealand Under-23 Time Trial, [[Regan Gough]]
:[[File:MaillotNuevaZelanda.PNG|20px]] New Zealand Under-23 Road Race, [[Regan Gough]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|An Post-ChainReaction}}
* {{Official website|http://www.anpostchainreaction.com/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:An Post-Chain Reaction}}
[[Category:Cycling teams based in Ireland]]
[[Category:UCI Continental Teams (Europe)]]
[[Category:Cycling teams established in 2006]]
[[Category:Cycling teams disestablished in 2017]]