Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung are happy to announce that the UCI has confirmed the renewal of our Pro-Continental Licence for the 2015 season. After the procedural review conducted by the UCI and Ernest & Young, the license has been granted to our African team for the 3rd consecutive year now. This is the first step completed in becoming the top Pro-Continental team in 2015.
Douglas Ryder – Team Principal
“The registration process is time consuming and needs to be done right to maintain your credibility and sustainability with the UCI. Our partners MTN, Samsung and Qhubeka are incredible and continue to support the team in all areas that culminates in a greater sense of purpose. 2015 is going to be our biggest season yet with new partners coming on board, a new team look, an awesome team line-up and exciting races we have not done before.”
On the back of receiving the great licensing news from the UCI, we also received the fantastic news that the ASO has invited Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung to its season opening events, the Tour of Qatar and the Tour of Oman. Both events have become key fixtures on all the World Tour teams’ calendars and to be included in both these tours next year is a prestigious occasion for our African team.
Brian Smith – Interim General Manager
“It is great to see this team grow from strength to strength and to carry on into its third year at UCI PCT level. We have brought on some very talented riders from outside of Africa to help spread the word around the world about the great work of Qhubeka, and retained many of our very talented African riders. I believe that this rich mix of experience and youth will light up cycling in 2015 and beyond.”
“The main target for the team and its partners is the Tour de France in 2015. To be invited to Qatar and Oman by the ASO (organisers of the Tour de France) confirms to us that we are going in the right direction. These events are very important races for the team and we plan to go there and race hard. It sets up a year that could be a very good year for the team as we continue to create history for African Cycling. Bring it on!”
Current 2015 Team MTN-Qhubeka Line-up
Daniel Teklehaimanot, Merhawi Kudus, Natnael Berhane (ERI)
Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, Jacques Janse van Rensburg, Songezo Jim, Jay Thomson, Jaco Venter, Nicolas Dougall, Louis Meintjes, Johann van Zyl (RSA)
Youcef Reguigui (ALG)
Adrien Niyonshuti (RWA)
Gerald Ciolek, Andreas Stauff (GER)
Kristian Sbaragli (ITA)
Theo Bos (NED)
Tyler Farrar (USA)
Serge Pauwels (BEL)
Stephen Cummings (GBR)
Edvald Boassen-Hagen (NOR)
Matthew Goss (AUS)
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
