Kelly still has no room for passengers

There’s a cracking Phil Liggett line from the 1989 World Championships in France when the ITV anchor turns to his American counterpart Brian Malessa and said: “Brian, I think Sean Kelly told Fignon in broad Irish exactly what he thought of that idea,” after Fignon gestured for the Irishman to go to the front of the chase group to catch leader Steve Bauer.

In many ways, the exchange sums up the Carrick-on-Suir legend. His messages aren’t cryptic and his directives are about as subtle as a baseball bat to the stomach.

It’s 20 years since he was king of the peloton but he still speaks passionately about having “deep hunger” to succeed.

Now, on a Baltic day in the Belgian town of Tielt, the four-time Tour de France green jersey winner proudly displays the 18 protégés selected for 2012 to represent the An Post team.

Tanned and taut, the riders stand like trophies and smile at the assembled throng of press, family and sponsors.

Before Kelly begins.

“This is definitely our best ever line-up,” he said. “It should equal results but it doesn’t always work like that. I’m pleased because I know some of the other continental teams, the budget we have is about 60% of some of them and our results are much greater.

“So for that reason it’s a success story but I think we have to step up to another level and we’re ready for it. [Gediminas] Bagdonas and Nico [Eeckhout] both had great seasons but there are a few other guys here who are really going to have to push on and try and get to another level. It’s always difficult but that’s what we must do.”

Cue some uncomfortable shuffling. The riders know they’ll be sent home if they don’t perform. Hence the one-year contracts.

There are five Irish guys here; Sam Bennett, Sean Downey, Ronan McLaughlin, Conor McConvey and Mark Cassidy. They all dream the same dream and it’s the first question the uninitiated ask them back home, ‘when are you going to be in the Tour de France?’. Baby steps first, acknowledges Kelly.

“Sometimes, they lack a bit of confidence and it can be a handicap. Sometimes the Irish guys have this mental thing that the other guys have something better than them; that the Belgians and Italians or whoever, are better than them.

“But they still only have two arms, two legs and a bike and if you put in the work and commitment over a long period, of a year or two years… and if you’ve got the genes, then there is the potential to move up the ladder.”

The team has shown itself to be a decent breeding ground, with Andy Fenn and Matthew Brammeier securing WorldTour contracts with one of the biggest teams in the world last season.

“Unfortunately, we are always going to be a feeder team,” sighed Kelly.

“There’s no transfer fee for looking after riders and I think that should be changed. If you put a rider into a ProTour team especially, like we have, they should [feeder team] get some compensation for it.”

Kelly doesn’t hide behind the fact his team are “punching above their weight”, he thrives on it in fact. And one rider he knows many will be keeping an eye on this year is 21-year-old Sam Bennett.

“Yes, Sam will have to start getting results at the earlier part of the year. He has to get up there and start moving forward, moving closer to a bigger team, not only for us but for himself. I feel that he’s capable of doing that but it’s all about being motivated 100% and keeping the head right all year.”