DONEGAL cyclist Matthew Doyle has been snapped up by a top Belgian team to compete on the continent in 2013.
The Muff man competed for the Irish team at the World Championships in his first year as a junior.
The Foyle CC rider has been in Belgium in recent days finalising his plans for 2013, when he will be a member of the ‘Jonge Renners’ team which is based in Roselare.
“They saw me when Daniel Stewart and I first went to Belgium with the Belgian Project for four weeks in the second half of the season,” a delighted Doyle told the cycling website stickybottle.
“I managed to win a kermesse when I was there and the team offered me a contract on the basis of that. It really was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse.”
Doyle was part of the youth FBD Talent Team 2020 concept this time last year and has since progressed very well into the junior ranks. While he was not included in an international junior line-up that went for a racing and training stint in Europe to prepare for the European Championships, to his great credit that did not deter him.
Instead, he travelled to Belgium with equally promising Antrim East Audi rider Stewart, for a stint of racing with the Belgian Project. Both adapted to the harder races immediately and Doyle did enough to gain selection for the Irish team for the Worlds in Valkenburg.
His silver medal in both the National Junior Road Race and TT Championships also underlined his form and potential.
The Donegal teenager said he is relishing the idea of riding the bigger interclub races in Belgium next year and is hopeful it would bring him on to the next level now that he has completed his Leaving Cert.
He will be living around 10km from the team’s base. Through the Belgian Project, he will again be staying with Rik and Sabien Masil.
“They’ve been amazing this year,” he said of the couple.
“The team has produced some very good riders. Jelle Feys who is only a first year U23 has signed for EFC Quickstep. So I’m really looking forward to starting work with the team and hopefully getting a few results.”
Doyle added he had received help from a lot of people in the past season or two and was very grateful for all of their support.
“They know who they are and I hope they know that I genuinely appreciate everything they’ve done for me to get me this far.”
