Ryder Cycling, the owner of MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung, the team soon to be known as Team Dimension Data, today announced it has signed Mark Cavendish, Mark Renshaw and Bernhard Eisel. The addition of the three new members further strengthens and add depth to the team – the first African team to ride in the Tour de France – not only at races, but also as global ambassadors for Qhubeka.
Cavendish has raced for teams including HTC Highroad, Sky, and Etixx-QuickStep and has built a stunning palmarès. Some of his major achievements include becoming World Champion in 2011, and notching up 26 Tour de France and 15 Giro d’Italia stage wins on his account. Not only has Cavendish gained credibility as a sporting icon, he also shines off the bike.
The Team will announce further arrivals and its 2016 roster in the next few days.
I’m super excited about becoming a part of the Team for 2016. It is a team that I have watched closely as it has grown, especially over this season and been really impressed with the spirit, strength and dynamics of the group. It’s fair to say that most of the peloton has seen how incredible the Team raced this year. To join it with the target of helping to win even more races with other strong, experienced household cycling names like Mark Renshaw, Edvald Boasson-Hagen, Tyler Farrar, Daniel Teklehaimanot, Steve Cummings and of course Bernie Eisel is going to be real special, as well as assisting the talent of the young, African riders to top level success. Also, for me personally, one of the biggest incentives is riding for a greater cause in the Qhubeka charity. I’m really looking forward to having a successful year on the road alongside the other guys and helping directly to get more bikes in the hands of people who need them.
Mark Cavendish – Rider
Mark Cavendish joining our Team is a huge step forward for the team as we strive to get to the next level in world cycling. To also integrate Mark Renshaw and Bernie Eisel is a game changer in terms of performance and experience, which, added to the incredible talent we already have in the team opens up many possibilities for us. We have seen how success has brought fantastic new partners to our team in Dimension Data and Deloitte and the impact that it has had on our current bike partners like Cervelo. It is even more meaningful to tie that all together to achieve bigger impact for Qhubeka, the charity we ride for. Qhubeka, provides bicycles for African schoolchildren, enabling them to conquer distance every day to get to and from school. As the team’s visibility and success has increased, we are grateful for sponsors and individuals coming alongside to support our goal to provide 5000 bicycles for African schoolchildren via the #BicyclesChangeLives campaign. We look forward to working closely with Mark and the other riders to accelerate the growth of the team’s contributions on and off the bike in 2016 and beyond.
Douglas Ryder – Team Owner
We are excited at the impact that riders of Mark Cavendish, Mark Renshaw’ and Bernie Eisel’s stature can have on lives throughout the African continent This years riders have all been great ambassadors for the team, the African cause and the charity. It would be wonderful to see this community of support grow in 2016. We hope Mark and his fans will bring their support not just to the team, but also to Qhubeka’s mission and help make a difference for African schoolchildren and families.
Anthony Fitzhenry – Founder Qhubeka
Dimension Data welcomes Mark and his fellow riders to the Team. We’re very excited to be part of the squad’s next steps on its journey to accelerate their ambitions, and look forward to helping the Team to compete at the highest levels in world cycling, both on the African continent and across the world.
Brett Dawson – Dimension Data Group CEO
Personal feelings aside I hope he evolves from a decent into a good/great classics rider. Once the fast twitch fibre starts going you need to harness the diesel
He has the right body (stocky) and the right background (track) to ride the classics - not sure he has the right mental fortitude.
He has won a fair amount of classics but they're mostly the pan flat team chase down into lead out sprint type stuff.
I'm hoping he steps up and gets stuck into the "attrition" classics!
Go Mark (did I just say that?)