Photos in feature collage courtesy of Martin Verfaillie, David Mc Veigh, and Caroline Kerley, others as indicated below…
Conor told us: “I’m really looking forward to joining Evo Pro Racing in 2022.
To be honest, I thought I had missed my chance of joining a professional team so this was a dream come true.
Because I had genuinely accepted that my chance had gone, I didn’t put any pressure on myself last year. I was just racing and training for the love of it.
This led me to have possibly the best and most consistent season of my career.
I was top five or top 10 in all the big domestic races and had some solid performances at the Newcastle-West stage race which I think helped me earn a chance with Evo Pro.
My last year as an Under 23 was the year Covid hit which really wasn’t ideal and the team wanted to give a few riders an opportunity who missed out on that key year as a result.
Cycling Ireland getting involved more this year is definitely exciting. Seeing a pathway for domestic riders to compete against the best in the world at professional races in Europe is very promising“
I have raced in Belgium as a Junior and Under 23 with Meulenspurters Meulebeke via the Belgian Project, staying with Rik Masil and Sabien Himpe in Beitem (West Flanders) so I have a good idea of what the racing is like on the continent.
Of course, I realise this will definitely be another step up again as we’ll be racing against the likes of Quickstep. I am really looking forward to competing in professional races in different countries over different terrains. It will be a huge test. But it’s a test that I want and I welcome it.
I really want to acquit myself well in these pro races this year. I’ve no doubt the experience will make me a better racer.I would like to target a few stages races in Europe and a big motivation for me is to earn selection to the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team, yours in sport, Conor McCann
ROSTER 2022
MICHAEL VAN STAEYEN (BELGIUM)
LIAM CURLEY (IRELAND)
EAMON LUCAS (USA)
MITCHELL MC LAUGHLIN (IRELAND)
CIAN KEOGH (IRELAND)
RHYS BRITTON (WALES)
CONN MC DUNPHY (IRELAND)
TOM MORIARTY (IRELAND)
CONOR MC CANN (IRELAND)
JB MURPHY (IRELAND)
DYLAN GUINET (FRANCE)
SEAN NOLAN (IRELAND)
FINTAN RYAN (IRELAND)
MAARTEN VERHEYEN (BELGIUM)
