A Shropshire cycling team, which has celebrated huge success this season, has announced a name change for next year and also the addition of an exciting new sponsor.
From 2019, ‘Rhino Velo Race Team’ will become ‘Holohan Coaching Race Team’ and along with existing anchor sponsors Shrewsbury based estate agents Cooper Green Pooks and chartered insurance brokers Beaumont Lawrence, they will also be sponsored by Unvented Components Europe, a Chirk based heating and plumbing spare parts supply business.
Chris Pook and Ben Lawrence will continue to run the team and Liam Holohan will focus more on the coaching side than actually competing himself.
Unvented Components Europe is owned by Bryan Davies, himself a keen cyclist who has recently discovered the competitive side of the sport.
His company specialises in supplying spare parts for heating and plumbing systems with a particular expertise in unvented hot water cylinder systems.
Mr Davies said he wanted to sponsor the team because, having familiarised himself with the local cycling scene over the last couple of years, he is impressed with how they operate.
He said: “The riders all seem to enjoy what they are doing and really take races on from the front.
“They have achieved success over a wide range of disciplines and their riders are consistently some of the strongest in the local area; I wanted to be a part of that success and to help them further develop young riders like Ollie Hayward, Kirk Vickers and new signing Tomos Owens.
“I am also hoping to encourage more of the team at Unvented Components Europe to get on their bikes and get fit too.”
Mr Pook, of Shrewsbury based estate agents Cooper Green Pooks, which also sponsors the team, said it was a great opportunity for Holohan Coaching Race Team to be supported by such an established local company.
He said: “Unvented Components Europe has more than 25 years experience in the plumbing, heating, online, retail and customer service sectors.
“We have used them indirectly via plumbing contractors that maintain properties we manage and by all reports they are an excellent company to deal; trustworthy, competitively priced and reliable.
“When Bryan Davies got in touch, we instantly felt on the same page and his sponsorship helps us to do more for the younger riders.’
“We are really happy to be in partnership with them for the 2019 season.”
Mr Lawrence, of chartered insurance brokers Beaumont Lawrence, a fellow sponsor, said he has high hopes for Holohan Coaching Race Team for 2019.
He said: “We have an exciting programme shaping up, which will hopefully include tackling a UK based UCI race, a stage race in Ireland, a possible return to the Vuelta Majorca and also numerous regional and national UK races. We will definitely be a team to watch in 2019. We now have to grit our teeth and spend the winter training so we are in top form ready to start again in March.”
Holohan Coaching Race Team is sponsored in 2019 by Cooper Green Pooks, Beaumont Lawrence, Holohan Coaching and Unvented Components Europe.
Shropshire Live is regulated by 