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Pro Continental team Aqua Blue Sport collapses dramatically

Irish team announces it's folding on Monday, withdraws from Tour of Britain on Tuesday

August 28, 2018
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August 2018 has been an emotional roller coaster for Irish Pro Continental squad Aqua Blue Sport. On August 1 the team announced that it was merging with Veranda’s Willems-Crelan (or Sniper Cycling) and would have Wout Van Aert on its roster for 2019. Later that day Veranda’s Willems tweeted, “We dissociate ourselves expressly from all communication that has been published today regarding the supposed acquisition of our team by Aqua Blue Sport” (the tweet no longer exists). On Monday the team announced it was folding and on Tuesday withdrew from the Tour of Britain, which starts in six days.

https://twitter.com/AquaBlueSport/status/1033989270690836480

Aqua Blue was formed in 2017 and immediately got invitations to WorldTour races. American Larry Warbasse was the first Blue to win a WorldTour race at the Tour de Suisse that season, and at the squad’s Grand Tour debut, the Vuelta a España, Austrian Stefan Denifl earned the team its first stage win.

Stefan Denifl on his way to Aqua Blue Sport’s big win at the 2017 Vuelta a España. Photo: Sirotti

Irish millionaire Rick Delaney put the team together with the idea that an online shop would replace corporate sponsorship and make the outfit self-sustainable. He guaranteed four seasons of funding.

The wheels began to come off the cart this season when the team received fewer race invitations. Racing on 1x-equipped 3T Strada bikes had its problems and Delaney threw the bike company under the bus after a mechanical cost a win opportunity at the Tour de Suisse.

The implosion of the team has serious consequences for the riders and staff, who are left in the lurch. It will be very difficult for out-of-contract athletes for find new rides for 2019 at this point in the season, and with racing cancelled there’s no opportunity for other teams to see Aqua Blue Sport riders in action. Furthermore, team personnel are worried about not getting paid for the rest of the season.

Meanwhile, Team Wiggins will take Aqua Blue Sport’s place in the 2.1-rated Tour of Britain and Veranda’s Willems-Crelan looks to merge with fellow Pro Conti side Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij.