Great news for Seth Dunwoody, Liam O’Brien, their families and supporters, and Irish Cycling fans.
Seth Dunwoody and Liam O’Brien have signed pro contracts with Bahrain Victorious and Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team respectively.
SETH DUNWOODY: CAREER TO DATE
Seth Dunwoody, from Hamiltonsbawn, County Armagh, will join the Bahrain Victorious WorldTour Team in 2027 moving up from the team’s development squad.
The 20-year-old began racing with Orchard CC before joining the Cannibal–Victorious U19 Development Team for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
In 2023 he won the Irish Junior Road Race Championship and took the overall victory, along with a stage, at Penn Ar Bed – Pays d’Iroise in France.
In 2024 he finished second at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne Juniors, won the junior E3 Saxo Classic, claimed stage wins at the Course de la Paix Juniors and Nations Cup Hungary, and won the junior Chrono des Nations time trial.
He placed fifth in the junior individual time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Zurich.
Stepping up to the Bahrain Victorious WorldTour team is a dream come true.
Seth Dunwoody, Bahrain Victorious
Dunwoody signed with the Bahrain Victorious Development Team for 2025. That season he won Stage 4 of the Giro d’Italia Next Gen, Stage 3 of the Turul României (also taking the points and mountains classifications), and Stage 5 of the Circuit des Ardennes.
Two podiums with a second on a stage of the Turul României and third on a stage of the Tour de l’Avenir.
In 2026 he won the elite Irish National Road Race Championship along with the U23 title, and took silver in the U23 Irish National Time Trial Championships in Cong. He finished second at Paris-Roubaix Espoirs and second at the U23 Gent-Wevelgem, and also won the European Under-23 points race title on the track in Cottbus.
Dunwoody has already raced with the senior Bahrain Victorious squad in events including the AlUla Tour, Tour des Alpes-Maritimes, Classic Var, Ename Samyn Classic, Danilith Nokere Koerse and Ronde van Limburg.
He has been selected for the Irish team for the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal, where he will contest the under-23 road race and time trial.
I’m extremely grateful to all the staff at Cannibal B Victorious and the Bahrain Victorious Development Team for their hard work, belief and, most of all, the friendly spirit that has helped me grow over the past four years, both as a rider and as a person.
Seth Dunwoody, Bahrain Victorious
Bahrain Victorious Managing Director Milan Eržen described the move as an important milestone for the team’s development pathway from Cannibal B Victorious through the Development Team to the WorldTour.
Sports Director Francis Van Mechelen, who first brought Dunwoody into the junior programme, said he was immediately impressed by the rider and remains in regular contact with him and his family.
I’m also blessed to share this achievement with my amazing family, who have supported my dream of becoming a WorldTour rider since I was eight years old.
Seth Dunwoody, Bahrain Victorious
Dunwoody will step up to the WorldTour team for the 2027 season while still having under-23 eligibility remaining.
LIAM O’BRIEN: CAREER TO DATE
Liam O’Brien, the 21-year-old rider from Fermoy, County Cork, will join the Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team in 2027 on a three-year contract.
Becoming a professional cyclist is a childhood dream coming true.
I’ve learnt a huge amount over the past three years, both as a rider and as a person, and I feel ready for this next step.
Liam O’Brien, Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
He currently rides for Lidl-Trek Future Racing. The 21-year-old began his career with Fermoy Cycling Club. He competed in both road and cyclo-cross as a junior, winning Irish junior cyclo-cross titles and recording strong results on the road, including second overall at the Junior Tour of Ireland (with a stage win) in 2023.
He joined Lidl-Trek Future Racing for the 2024 season and has spent three years with the under-23 development squad. In 2024 he finished third overall at the Flèche du Sud.
In 2025 he placed second overall at the Ronde de l’Isard and fourth overall at the Giro Ciclistico della Valle d’Aosta-Mont Blanc. In 2026 he won the mountains classification at the Ronde de l’Isard and finished fourth overall. He also took third on a mountain stage of the Giro Ciclistico della Valle d’Aosta.
He has been selected for the Irish team for the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal, where he will contest the under-23 road race.
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.
Liam O’Brien, Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
He joins Irish legends Sam Bennett and Eddie Dunbar. O’Brien will step up to the professional ranks with Pinarello-Q36.5 until the end of 2029.
Best wishes
Wishing both young men the very best of luck in their moves, and a massive congratulations on these important milestones in their respective careers.
