Irish cyclist Liam O’Brien agrees pro deal to team up with late brother’s ‘ultimate idol’

Irish amateur rider Liam O’Brien has secured a professional contract with the Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling team of Eddie Dunbar and Sam Bennett. The 21-year-old paid tribute to his late brother Shane, who was tragically killed in a crash while training in Waterfordin June. One month later, O’Brien showed huge strength of character to take third on a mountain stage of the Giro Ciclistico Valle d’Aosta.The Cork rider now has a three-year contract that will see him compete from January onwards alongside Dunbar and the British team leader Tom Pidcock.“He’s an important part of my journey and always will be,” O’Brien said of his late brother. “Tom Pidcock was his ultimate idol, so he’s definitely happy I’m joining the team.READ MORE“Having Eddie in the team will be really nice. He’s achieved a lot in the sport and having another Irish rider there, especially someone from Cork, will help me with the step-up.”O’Brien has been competing with the Lidl-Trek Future Racing team for the past three seasons. He won the mountains jersey in this year’s Ronde de l’Isard and placed second and fourth overall in 2025 and 2026 respectively. His results also include third overall in the 2024 Flèche du Sud.Meanwhile, fellow Irish under-23 rider Seth Dunwoody also secured a lengthy pro contract, graduating from the Bahrain Victorious Development Team to its WorldTour squad.A strong sprinter and classics rider, the Armagh cyclist missed out on victory in a photo finish at the under-23 Paris-Roubaix in April. He was also second in the In Flanders Fields – In Ieper/Kattekoers race in May, the under-23 version of Gent-Wevelgem.