Edinburgh pro cyclist Sean Flynn, 23, is in Australia this week competing for Netherlands outfit Team dsm-firmenich Post NL.
And success in the Santos Tour Down Under – first pro event of the season – could mean Sean moving closer to competing in the iconic Tour de France.
In his first year at the top level Sean, who is joined in the team by fellow Scot Oscar Onley from Kelso, raced at the Tour of Spain.
Depending on performance over the coming months he could again be selected for that race as well as being in contention to compete at the Tour of Italy and the blue riband French event.
Sean joined Team dsm-firmenich PostNL in 2023 emerging from under-23 ranks where he had a successful few seasons and took a brilliant win at the Istrian Spring Trophy in early 2022.
Introducing Sean, the team web-site states: “Sean isn’t from a cycling family as such but from a young age everyone around him has been active and pursued sports in one way or another. His first passage into the sport was from watching some downhill mountain biking and he joined a local cycling club near Edinburgh at around the age of ten. Starting in cross country mountain biking, Sean then also took up cyclocross which was followed by road and track and in his younger years he “basically did any type of cycling he could” before more recently fully focusing on the road.”
Sean made it clear that his feet are firmly on the ground while showing the necessary – and natural – ambition.
He said: “It’s all the start of the next step, it’s not like I’ve made it yet. I know it’s going to be hard but I’m really looking forward to it, getting stuck in and working hard so that hopefully I can make it all the way to the top.”
Career highlights so far include representing Scotland at the Commonwealth Games where he helped his team-mate Finn Crocket to a bronze medal.
Also, being part of the team time trial success on the opening stage of his debut Vuelta a España.
The Santos Tour Down Under runs until Sunday throughout South Australia.
Evergreen sports journalist. Previously published in many publications around the world. Send me your local sports stories. billlothian1008@gmail.com
