![\"ccs-41808-0-27272100-1390555643.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-41808-0-27272100-1390555643.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nImage credit: Darren Goddard<\/span><\/p>\n Phase one of team manager Shaun Peschl\u2019s dream was realized on Tuesday when he received official confirmation from the UCI that his \u201cteam will be registered as a 2014 UCI MTB Team\u201d, paving the way for the outfit to start their international journey and, hopefully, follow a similar pathway of success to that of South African road cycling phenomenon Team MTN Qhubeka, presented by Samsung.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are thrilled by the news that we can now officially call ourselves a UCI mountain bike team for 2014,\u201d said an ecstatic Peschl. \u201cThe timing could not have been better with African Champs less than twenty-four hours away and I\u2019m sure all our guys will now be even more motivated to do well in Cape Town than ever before.<\/p>\n \u201cLooking at how far Doug Ryder has gone with his MTN Qhubeka team on the road \u2013 he has truly been an inspiration for us and we hope to have the same impact on the South African MTB scene,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The UCI\u2019s acceptance of the Kargo setup will see the \u2018Proudly South African\u2019 outfit now turn their full attention towards their short term goals whilst always bearing in mind their ultimate motivator \u2013 the Olympics.<\/p>\n \u201cWe really are very proud of the fact that almost all of our setup is South African. All our riders are from SA, our title sponsor \u2013 Kargo \u2013 is a South African company and even the bikes we ride \u2013 Momsen Bikes \u2013 are from here!\u201d explained Peschl.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a really good pre-season and our season began nicely a couple of weeks ago. Now it\u2019s all about fighting for every UCI point available.<\/p>\n \u201cShort term goals for us are to be as consistent as possible locally, to achieve good results at the UCI World Cups and the 2014 Commonwealth Games and to have at least five of our riders compete at the 2014 World Champs whilst our long term dream is definitely all about the Olympics,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n For team ace Rourke Croeser, the news represents a major step in the right direction not only for the Kargo Pro MTB team but for the sport of mountain biking throughout South Africa as a whole.<\/p>\n \u201cIt really is just great for cycling, and particularly mountain biking, in South Africa,\u201d said Croeser. \u201cHopefully this also starts a trend here in SA and that other teams start taking competing internationally seriously as well.<\/p>\n \u201cThe more UCI teams we have in SA can only be good for MTB in the country!\u201d<\/p>\n