Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung returns to racing this week with tomorrow’s Milano-Torino (1.HC) and Tour de l’Eurométropole (2.1) starting on Thursday. The races are part of the final European program for 2013 and are being used as a build up to the last major events of the season, Il Lombardia and Paris Tours.
Image credit: Italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com
Sergio Pardilla will captain the team in Milano-Torino and will be backed up by Louis Meintjes after recently winning the silver medal in the world under 23 Road Race Championships. Jacques Janse van Rensburg, Meron Russom, Tsgabu Grmay, Songezo Jim, Ignatas Konovalovas and Jay Thomson form part of the strong line up for the team.
“I took a look at the profile and I watched last year’s race on the internet when [Alberto] Contador won and I think it’s a good race for me and Louis,” Pardilla said. “I think we have a good team now for these last races. My feeling is good after Tour of Britain. I was home for a week taking it easy and now I am ready to go again. I think Louis is a really good rider and his performance is very good. Second in the World Championships is fantastic, it’s a big and important race. I think in Milano-Torino he can be in the front group and even if he doesn’t win now I think it’s really good experience for him and next year we will see him winning races.”
Tour de l’Eurométropole is a four-stage event starting on Thursday. The team will send seven riders who are eager to finish the season on a high. Bradley Potgieter was a last minute withdrawal from the race after breaking his collarbone in training. The composition of the team will include Andreas Stauff, Johann van Zyl, Gerald Ciolek, Kristian Sbaragli, Martin Reimer, Martin Wesemann and Youcef Reguigui.
“This is will the next race after Tour of Britain,” Ciolek said. “To be honest the season is getting long now but we have important races coming up so we’re keeping the motivation high. We have goals for the last week. We got a wild card for Paris-Tours and we need to use this opportunity to get a good result. Eurométropole is a typical Belgian race. There aren’t that many cobbles but the racing won’t be easy. The guys are in great shape and we have riders like Martin [Reimer] and Andy Stauff who could pull off a surprise.”
Milano-Torino (Italy) – (October 2 / 1.HC): Jacques Janse van Rensburg (RSA), Louis Meintjes (RSA), Tsgabu Grmay (ETH), Songezo Jim (RSA), Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU), Jay Thomson, Meron Russom (ERI), Sergio Pardilla (SPA)
Tour de l’Eurométropole (Belgium) – (October 3-6 / UCI 2.1) Andreas Stauff (GER), Johann van Zyl (RSA), Gerald Ciolek (GER), Kristian Sbaragli (ITA), Martin Reimer (GER), Martin Wesemann (RSA) and Youcef Reguigui (ALG).
