While the 2017 cycling season concluded on the 24 October for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka, planning for the 2018 season is well underway already. Our African Team descended upon Cape Town, South Africa, staying at the Southern Sun Cullinan Hotel between 12 November and 19 November for our 2018 season training and strategizing camp.
From medical assessments to performance goals, the riders and staff of Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka have been preparing for what is set to be an exciting 2018. The camp in Cape Town has not been all meetings and presentations – the team has enjoyed hospitality from various team partners and team-building activities, with the highlight so far being yesterday’s Qhubeka bicycle distribution ceremony.
Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka was able to provide 150 bicycles to the Charleston Hill Secondary School children, through donations raised via the team’s #BicyclesChangeLives campaign. The children are part of a Qhubeka Learn-to-Earn initiative, and the bicycles will help them to get to and from school more easily.
Each rider and staff member was personally able to present a bicycle to a Qhubeka beneficiary, and in doing so, the 2018 Team Dimension Data roster was also fully revealed. 27 riders from 10 different countries will represent our African Team in the UCI World Tour next year.
Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka 2018 Roster
Igor Anton, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Steve Cummings, Mekseb Debesay, Nic Dougall, Amanuel Gebreigzabhier, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, Ben King, Louis Meintjes, Ben O’Connor, Mark Renshaw, Jay Thomson, Johann van Zyl, Julien Vermote, Natnael Berhane, Mark Cavendish, Scott Davies, Nicholas Dlamini, Bernie Eisel, Ryan Gibbons, Jacques Janse van Rensburg, Merhawi Kudus, Lachlan Morton, Serge Pauwels, Tom-Jelte Slagter, Scott Thwaites, Jaco Venter
2018 will be a significant year for our African Team as we embark on an ambitious project, our 2020 vision, to place a rider on the general classification podium at the Tour de France. Our 2018 season goals form part of the building blocks to our 2020 vision.
Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka 2018 season goals
- Raise 5000 bikes for Qhubeka
- 30 UCI race wins, including 10 World Tour
- Grand Tour stage wins
- Grand Tour Top 5 GC
- Podium in classics (World Tour one-day race)
- Top 15 World Tour team ranking
Douglas Ryder – Team Principal
Jeremy Ord – Dimension Data Executive Chairman
Jim Moffatt – Head of Deloitte Global Consulting
Tsatsi Phaweni – Qhubeka Executive Director
