Posted by: Fus87« on: June 12, 2013, 11:42 »They're going to race the Tour of Denmark!
Or not, DCU (the race organizer) say that they're NOT on the list. Move along, nothing to see here... Posted by: Fus87« on: June 12, 2013, 09:56 »I like how they also list the supporting staff and not only the riders, as many other teams do. They're just as big a part of the effort.
And I certainly hope that over time, the line-ups at the big races won't always be the Europeans plus the "old" South Africans. I suppose Meintjes, Russom, van Zyl, Jim, Grmay, Reguigui etc. still need time to adapt to the highest level - but I just can't wait. Posted by: Fus87« on: June 12, 2013, 09:52 » Tour of Luxembourg: Climbers and sprinters are asked for MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung will take on the climbs and sprints of the Skoda Tour de Luxembourg (June 12-16 / UCI 2.HC) this week with its usual strong squad. Milan-San Remo winner Gerald Ciolek, who has shown his outstanding ability to come over the climbs and win the resulting sprint, and Spanish climber Sergio Pardilla will be the men in the spotlight. “After we successfully rode the Fleche du Sud last year as a small African team, we are happy to be invited to the Tour de Luxembourg,” said sport director Jens Zemke. “We want to make a good impression and advertise for our project to get bikes to kids in Africa.” Ciolek and Pardilla can look for support from Germans Andreas Stauff and Martin Reimer, Lithuanian time trial specialist Ignatas Konovalovas, and South Africans Jaco Venter, Jay Thomson and Jacques Janse van Rensburg. The race opens Wednesday evening with a 2.5km prologue, with the speedy men expected to race around the city of Luxembourg in four minutes. The climbing starts the next day, as the 184 km from Luxembourg to Hautcharge includes six ranked climbs, including three category one. The climbers will be active again on stage two, with six climbs again. In both stages, however, the final climb is far enough away from the finish line that the peloton ought to have enough time to get back together. That is just a warm-up for the third stage, 178.8 km from Eschweiler to Diekirch, with eight climbs, all of them ranked category one, and the last one less than 10 km from the finish line. The race ends up with six climbs on the fourth and final stage, but the final climb is followed by six laps of a 5.5km circuit course in Luxembourg City, with a mass sprint expected. Tour de Luxembourg (Luxembourg) – (June 12 -16 / UCI 2.HC): Andreas Stauff (GER), Gerald Ciolek (GER), Ignatas Konovalovas (LIT), Jaco Venter (RSA), Martin Reimer (GER), Jay Thomson (RSA), Jacques Janse van Rensburg (RSA) and Sergio Pardilla (ESP) Staff: Jens Zemke (Directeur Sportif), Basti Büffel (Soigneur), Hagen Bernutz (Soigneur), Heiko Heinrici (Mechanic), Daniele Nieri (Mechanic), Francesco Bonnini (Bus Driver) Posted by: Fus87« on: June 02, 2013, 08:40 »Hmm.
Remains to be seen whether it will now turn into a German team with a couple of African helpers, or whether Doug Ryder can remain "control" and ensure the influx of Africans, also as team leaders. I obviously hope for the second. Posted by: Fus87« on: May 27, 2013, 15:44 »We can't have the thread of our favourite African cycling team be so far down the page.
 Therefore, here's a couple of articles by yours truly on their recent performances in Bayern: Ciolek narrowly misses out on home soil Quote "Tomorrow we will attack again."And how right he was: Sprint victory for Ciolek in 3rd stage MTN-Qhubeka spreads message in Bavaria And a look behind the scenes from the team website: Behind the scenes at Bayern-Rundfahrt Posted by: Fus87« on: May 02, 2013, 23:14 »African cycling team takes on Europe
A nice article about the team on a general website. It seems that many South Africans haven't realized how big this team and its achievements are. But the trajectory is upwards, and once they're in a GT (Giro next year? Tour 2015?) I think it will hit home. Posted by: Fus87« on: April 29, 2013, 21:43 »Dude, that's already there. Two posts up.
 Frankfurt Classic opens the German races in May Frankfurt on May 1st will be the first race in Germany for Ciolek, Stauff and DS Zemke, followed by Rund um Köln and the Bayern-Rundfahrt later the same month. If it comes to a bunch sprint in Frankfurt I quite fancy Ciolek for a good placing, he's good at those after a hard course. Köln will possibly play even more to his strengths, as a bunch sprint is more likely there. And in Bayern I'd just go all out with the young guys, give them free reins to chase a result against a good, but not quite top-level field. They might just surprise a few - and even if not, it'll be a good learning experience. And the South African champion has written a blog post about himself and why he's largely been invisible so far. Explains a bit (though not in great detail) what went wrong, but it seems he's back on track now. Hopefully he can line up in Bayern, the ITT should be a good opportunity for him to test himself. Posted by: lancasterke« on: April 29, 2013, 18:30 »Posted by: Fus87« on: April 21, 2013, 12:19 »Tour of Turkey: The African Dream continues
Squad for Turkey: Andreas Stauff (GER), Bradley Potgieter (RSA), Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU), Dennis van Niekerk (RSA), Gerald Ciolek (GER), Martin Wesemann (RSA), Jaco Venter (RSA), Kristian Sbaragli (ITA) Ciolek (and Sbaragli) will go for the sprints. Curious to see how they fare against a truly world-class field of sprinters. And Ciolek's season is already great no matter what.  Venter, and possibly Wesemann and Konovalovas, should be in a breakaway or two. And look out for van Niekerk in the mountains, he should be able to get a decent GC result. Posted by: Fus87« on: April 17, 2013, 14:51 »Even CNN have taken to Songezo Jim's story now:
Human to Hero: Songezo Jim Songezo Jim: From the townships to the Tour Posted by: Fus87« on: April 16, 2013, 20:29 »The ZDF-Mittagsmagazin has aired a short segment on MTN-Qhubeka and Tsgabu Grmay:
Link (in German) Posted by: just some guy« on: April 12, 2013, 12:32 »Posted by: kabloemski« on: April 12, 2013, 06:51 »Let's tweet & RT our asses off!
"@qhubeka: Every 10 tweets @KevinMcCallum gets with the hashtag #SlowMagMarathon takes 30s off his time to win R10k 4 @qhubeka. Thats 5 bikes. Let's RT" Posted by: just some guy« on: April 10, 2013, 14:46 »Posted by: podgie« on: March 27, 2013, 11:12 »They have always said its too early for a GT. What this team is doing different is actively bringing on local ie African talent, not only with the Pro-Conti team but with their young feeder team racing in Africa and working alongside the UCI WCC Africa development program.
If you read Cioleks reasons for going to the team its very encouraging. What else makes them so different and why I support them is the Qhubeka foundation and what it is doing to mobilise kids in Africa, so far 45,000 bicycles given out and a plan to give 200,000 out by 2020. To see how these bikes are changing lives goes far beyond a racing team. Even the riders donate a portion of their race winnings to the foundation. I dont like to repeat but take some time to read http://cyclingdirect.co.za/qhubeka-mobilising-kids-with-bikes/ Last October I was doing a 3-day mountain bike stage race, coming off Spionkop (for those who like history, it is the Boar war battlefield) on a 16 km single track, halfway down was a kid with a Qhubeka bike, who had earnt it growing trees in his village. How he actually got that 20kg beast up that trail is another story... Posted by: Fus87« on: March 26, 2013, 23:47 »I still think it's too early for a gt.Honestly, so do I. But the Vuelta is still almost half a year away - who knows how much the young Africans will learn and develop until then. That said, I think they would have had good chances of getting into the Giro this year already if they had pursued it, and have very good chances of the Giro next year. Posted by: search« on: March 26, 2013, 23:37 »Of really "big" races, they're trying to get into the Vuelta. I'd love to see what Jani Tewelde could do there, he's shown his talent (both sprinting and climbing) in Langkawi for two years now. I still think it's too early for a gt. With (most likely) just three wildcards and Caja Rural and Cofidis more or less having the guarantee to get one each it will be very difficult anyway. Posted by: DinZ« on: March 26, 2013, 23:29 »Dave, I was just being me and peeing about. I actually like them, not as much as you, Ram, Fus etc. I also like the fact they still have alot of Africans on their roster and hope it stays that way and hopefully due to M-SR they'll get more chances at the 'big' European races if not this year(not sure what remaining 'big' races have WC's left to hand out) then 2014. the banter he saved me was marginal. we still stuttered to a draw against NZ. Posted by: Fus87« on: March 26, 2013, 23:27 »I also like the fact they still have alot of Africans on their roster and hope it stays that wayI think we can be sure it will. Doug Ryder has stated time and again that his long-term goal is to have a team of 50%+ black Africans at the Tour. In 2012 he even went that far as to declare a policy of 50%+ black Africans in the team, which led to a couple of white South Africans getting "laid off" (of course other factors may and probably will have played in as well). and hopefully due to M-SR they'll get more chances at the 'big' European races if not this year(not sure what remaining 'big' races have WC's left to hand out) then 2014.I'm hoping for the Cyclassics - not really a "big" race, but the only WT in easy distance for me to watch at the roadside. Should be rather secure with Ciolek, Stauff, Reimer and Zemke as DS. And I'm still holding a tiny hope for the Tour of Denmark. Of really "big" races, they're trying to get into the Vuelta. I'd love to see what Jani Tewelde could do there, he's shown his talent (both sprinting and climbing) in Langkawi for two years now. |
Re: 10 days until the tour, how many, and who will be the pretour positives ? by Lanced Armprong
[Today at 20:47] Re: Cycling Books by Dim [Today at 20:45] Re: Cycling Books by Echoes [Today at 20:39] Re: Giro Rosa Discussion thread by Fus87 [Today at 20:21] Re: 10 days until the tour, how many, and who will be the pretour positives ? by just some guy [Today at 20:17] Re: Giro Rosa Discussion thread by Fus87 [Today at 20:07]
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