Foreword Dany: ” When I decide who I will help out with a few pounds (or euro if the case may be) I looked off-course at their results, but that isn’t the only factor to be selected…determination, perseverance, and character come into it as well, and Erin, Maeve and Dean’s have them bucket’s full…the “never give up attitude” has brought them to the highest level in the sport as still amateurs, and loved by all who have seen them performing and hunger to succeed…They all have very supportive families which any athlete needs to get to such heights…For the first time, I have included the triathlon sport, as it is part of the cycling sport…they are all-rounders and very good at it, so is Dean…MTB, CX, and Road, he shines at them all…I only choose 3 riders for now and will pick 6 more in June from my selection pool that will be established in the next few months (tomorrow more info of how to enter and criteria for selection) Erin, Maeve, and Dean will receive in the next few weeks each £200 to help with their travels abroad, I wish I could give more, but need to keep an eye on the budget…we still look for a few sponsors for this year…it is not expensive and we have different levels to suit your budgets…details can be requested at dany@belgianproject.cc…so only left for me to say…Proficiat (what means congratulations in Flemish)”

Maeve Gallagher Castlebar CC County Mayo (Irish Triathlon & Cycling Ireland)

Maeve is seen here at the nationals in Wicklow last year with her very sportive mum Adette, the family from Mayo well known in sporting circles, her big brother Conor we all know, winning the Donegal Ultra 555 last year,

Maeve Gallagher (Castlebar CC) is a 20-year-old UCC Pharmacy Student and Quercus Sports Scholarship athlete for the University who is from County Mayo. Maeve has achieved remarkable results in her life to date proudly representing Mayo and Ireland in her chosen sports of triathlon, cycling, and athletics. Maeve is an Elite Irish triathlete and currently has 24 national titles to her name across 3 different disciplines of cycling, athletics, and triathlons. In 2019 Maeve achieved something special by representing Ireland in 3 separate European Championships in Cycling, Triathlon, and Cross country running. Here are some of her achievements >>
2019- Irish junior women’s road race champion in Derry.
Rás na mBán 5-day women’s International stage race in Kilkenny, 2018 winner of the best Irish rider
Rás na mBán 2019- Selected to ride with the Irish team. Winner of the best Irish rider green jersey.
2019- European Road Race Championships Alkmaar competed for Ireland.
2018- Maeve competed in the World Cycling Championships Junior women Road Race in Innsbruck Austria – placing 24th, 1st Irish rider
2019- World Championships Junior women Road Race, Yorkshire- 25th, 1st Irish ride
National Duathlon Champion 2018
2021- 8th in the Nationals in Wicklow with the Elite women
2021 competed in the Elite Women’s World Cup Triathlons in Lisbon and Sardinia along with placing 6th U23 in the European Aquathlon Championships in Austria.
National Aquathlon silver medal 2021.

Maeve at the nationals in Wicklow in 2021 (8th) Photo Caroline Kerley
European Cup podium glory in Bucharest for both girls (photo taken from Erin’s social media)

Erin Mc Connell ( Ards Swimming club-Ards CC-U 23 Triathlon Ireland)

Erin posing for a picture after an Ards CC club TT in Millisle (Down)

Irish international athlete, a current member of the Triathlon Ireland U23, and targeted athlete 2022 Commonwealth Games & 2024 Olympics Paris subject to qualification. As a 21-year-old Ulster University student, Erin McConnell has already a very impressive CV in Irish, European, and World level triathlon, here are some of her achievements of the last 3 years >>
2019 – National Duathlon Champion
2019 – National Aquathlon Champion
2019 – triathlon Ireland junior athlete of the year
09/02/20 – African Triathlon Cup – South Africa – 19th
05/09/20 – WTS world championships Hamburg – lapped
13/09/20 – World Cup Karlovary – lapped
09/05/21 – Bishopscourt Women’s Cycling series 1 – 1st
29/05/21 – Bishopscourt Women’s Cycling series 2 – 1st
18/06/21 – European triathlon Elite Championships semi-final – 15th
19/06/21 – European Triathlon Championships B final – 20th U23
20/06/21 – European triathlon elite Championships Mixed Relay – 16th
24/06/21 – European Championships Aquathlon – 2nd U23 / 3rd Elite woman

Hard as nails (photo taken from Erin’s social media page)
Very glamourous also without the lycra…(photo was taken from Erin’s social media pages)

Last but not least…Dean Harvey U23 (Spellman-Dublin Port) from Belfast

Dean Harvey did the road season in 2020 and 2021 as well as the British off-road series, and the local off-road events …and established himself as the top junior around domestically…Top-ranked Junior in 2021 and A2 status even before the summer which not many did, winning the National Road Series with impressive performances, and European and World Championship selections followed. His CX results after a wee rest impressive with podiums and wins… My choice was made long before today, and watch out for this young rider…great backup from his parents, his brother Lee and his coach Barry Monaghan (current Irish coach of the year) Raced for the VC Glendale Youth Academy till end 2021 and now a step up the ladder with joining Spellman-Dublin Port…

Dean got a very respectable 4th in the Elite Men Nationals in Armagh a few weeks ago…with already wins and big results last year he got himself a selection for the world U23 CX Champs in the USA next weekend!!
Current MTB champion seen here winning the Winter MTB Classic in Ards last December…talking about an all-rounder…seems everything Dean competes in he takes it in his stride !!
The international selection was inevitable after Dean’s results in the last years… here seen at the worlds in Leuven Belgium (photo CI)
Dean with his dad Mark and teammate Jamie Meegan, another upcoming rider who joined him to race with the Spellman-Dublin Port team