Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung are happy to announce that 3 of its Vuelta a Espana stars have recently renewed their contracts with the team. Kristian Sbaragli, Jacques Janse van Rensburg and Jaco Venter have all renewed their agreements with Team MTN-Qhubeka.
Sbaragli has been with Team MTN-Qhubeka since 2013 while Janse van Rensburg and Venter both joined the team in 2012 (Venter also rode for the team in 2010). All 3 riders have shown steady improvement over the last 2 years and each proved their quality once again at the recent Vuelta a Espana, forming part of the 9 rider team that managed to finish the grand tour with its full compliment of riders.
Sbaragli has shown he is a real star of the future, notching up no less than 22 top 10 results in sprint finishes this year alone. After recovering from his hernia operation, Janse van Rensburg has become a rejuvenated rider, winning the Mzansi Tour and performing strongly on multiple mountain stages throughout the year. Venter has shown his quality as a strong diesel engine while he has also played an integral part in our sprint leadouts.
Rider – Kristian Sbaragli
I am really happy to have extended my contract with Team MTN-Qhubeka for the next 2 seasons because here I have found a team that believe in me and give me the opportunity to show what i am capable of. I am quite happy with how my 2014 season has gone but next season i really went to step up a level and be competitive during the classics period. I also hope to turn some of my good results into victories next year. I am confident the team will be much stronger next year, particularly in the one-day races.
Rider – Jacques Janse van Rensburg
I am very happy to continue my career with Team MTN-Qhubeka and for me it would be great if i can stay with the team as long as possible as I am an African in an African team. In 2015 I am really looking to improve on my general classification tour riding results, getting into the top 10 more often will be a goal. I will look to hold back a bit with my aggressive riding style, so less breakaways, using that energy to focus on the GC. I also hope to be able to be a strong support rider for our GC rider in the big tours. I think we have super strong team for the classics and stage wins next year and then obviously a really strong and young African GC line-up too.
Rider – Jaco Venter
I am happy to extend with Team MTN-Qhubeka again after a good 2 and a half years with the team. I am already excited for the 2015 season and this season isn’t even finished yet. With the new riders we have next year i think we will have a good season and i am very motivated to work as hard as possible to support the team. As always, if there is an opportunity for me to get a result as well then i will take it.
Team Principal – Douglas Ryder
These guys are core to the team’s success next year with Jaco being incredibly versatile in the classics and stage races with this time trialing strength and calm demeanor, Kristian will get huge support from the riders joining the team in 2015 to help him convert some of those top 10’s to wins and Jacques has made huge strides this year in his performance and is an asset in our climbing and stage race group.
About MTN-Qhubeka
Team MTN-Qhubeka was founded in 2007, steadily working its way up from a regional team to now being a Continental Pro team with bases in South Africa and Italy. MTN-Qhubeka’s goal is to give talented African riders a path into the pro peloton while raising funds for the Qhubeka charity.
Qhubeka is an Nguni (Zulu, Xhosa) word that means “to carry on”, “to progress”, “to move forward”. Qhubeka (qhubeka.org) helps people move forward and progress by giving bicycles in return for work done to improve communities, the environment or academic results. Having a bicycle changes people’s lives by increasing the distance they can travel, what they can carry, where they can go and how fast they can get there. To contribute to the #BicyclesChangeLives Campaign, click here.
MTN (mtn.co.za) is a long time supporter of Qhubeka and the team. Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator, connecting 210 million subscribers in 22 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Learn more about the team at teammtnqhubeka.com
