Wishing my 3 BP junior graduates Joseph, Josh, and Darragh lots of luck on the Flanders Roads, 1 month of racing in the Mecca of Cycling ahead!! Also a massive *thank you* to the projects guest families for caring for our young talent, year after year, the project’s success is down to you Martine Verfaillie, Sabien Himpe and husband Rik Masil…The Irish Cycling community is in your debt for certain, and so appreciated from us all!!

Foreword Dany B: ” It’s for me a nervous moment before they arrive in West Flanders and injury free, and now I can relax a bit..they made it, paperwork sorted, and ready to go!! Saying that Josh Callaly and Joseph Mullen (Navan RC) already started their campaign with 2 international junior races (UCI 1.14.3) in Gistel and Kooigem, and thrown in the deep end so to speak, with each race well over hundred entries!! Joseph finished twice safely in the bunch, Josh had a bit of bad luck twice, but ready for another day. Darragh Doherty (Defever-Flanders Color Team) has arrived yesterday (2nd August) and will join his team this weekend for some stage races and kermesses. Like each year results will improve as they get more experience, as they are there to learn, good results are a bonus!! So long they are safe home each race I am happy, and wish I could be there to support, but I have commitments which keep me home for now…I know they are in good hands, their guest parents treat them as their own kids, and that is good enough for me, and their families in Ireland…I hope they can “Live the Dream” the motto of the project…

Josh and Joseph’s guest parents Sabien and Rik … Rik is a ex-pro footballer in his younger years, and now working for a media company, he used to play with Mike Bennett (Dad of Sam) and therefore the connection to Irish Racing, his wife Sabien works in a hospital nearby. The town their live in is Beitem (Moorslede) in the middle of West Flanders, not to far from Ypres, Roeselare and Menen.They looked after many Irish racers in the past, such as Cormac and Cahal Clark from Newry, Adam Ward, Peter Hawkins, Sam Bolger, Curtis Neill and so many others, they know what a rider needs, the food of Sabine a treat for the lads!!

My other guest mum is Martin Verfaillie, a well know Belgian cycling photographer, even in Ireland due to her visits to our Island for the CX Nationals for many years, she works as a mobile carer in the mornings, and all her afternoons are dedicated to the races, has so many guests during the year, from the CX world, to the pro-world and our Irish ones off-course , as above dedicate all her time to young talents from all over the world, and always keeps some beds free for the Belgian Project during the summer months…a pearl of a woman!! Martine will look after Darragh. You can admire her photos on her page https://www.facebook.com/martine.verfaillie.sportfotos. Martine lives in Moorslede, a few kms from the other guest parents.