Gone are former national champions, Ian McLeod and Darren Lill. Gone too is 2012 Durban Amashova winner, Johann Rabie. Also gone is 2011 Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour champion, Tyler Day. In their place are Clint Hendricks, Pieter Seyffert, Christopher Jennings and Willie Smit.
“Seyffert is one of a handful of South African riders that won a race in 2012 but who wasn’t a member of Team Bonitas or MTN Qhubeka, the two dominant teams of this year. His stage win at the Jock Tour showed he’s a thinking rider. He’s a strong time triallist too, which is always a bonus to have on any team,” said Austin.
Another relatively new rider on the team is former national road champion, Christoff van Heerden. He joined the team on a part-time basis in September 2012 but will be full-time for 2013.
Riders staying on from the 2012 squad are climber, Jason Bakke, sprinter, Herman Fouche and allrounders, Hanco Kachelhoffer, Luthando Kaka and HB Kruger. Kachelhoffer has been promoted to team captain.
“Team Bonitas has established a partnership with French team La Pomme Marseille that will kick off in 2013. This gives us a three-level system for our riders,” explained Austin. “The first level is South African racing, the second level is the French First Division with La Pomme Club and the third level is the Continental team calendar in Europe with La Pomme Marseille’s pro team, which, like Bonitas is also a registered Continental team with the UCI.”
http://www.cyclingsa.com/Article.aspx?uid=1146They becoming a small French continental team's feeder club? And they've lost all their top riders of this year.