Team MTN-Qhubeka off to solid start at Giro del Trentino

The opening team time trial stage at the Giro del Trentino saw Team BMC come away with the fastest time on the day. Team NetApp-Endura were 2nd while Team Sky rounded out the podium. Daniel Oss will pull on the leaders jersey after leading the American team across the line.

Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung put in a solid team time trial effort to finish in 11th place, just 40 seconds off the winning team. Considering that the number of team time trials the team has done can basically be counted on a single hand, this was a result the team was definitely content with.

While today’s opening time trial stage sorted the intial GC, we expect it will be insignificant compared to what is still to come this week. The serious racing begins tomorrow with the first of three mountainous stages on the cards where Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung will look towards Louis Meintjes, Jacques Janse van Rensberg and Sergio Pardilla for a result.

Directeur Sportif – Kevin Campbell

We were aiming for a top 10 today but considering we have not participated in all that many TTT’s with these riders, we are really satisfied. The key factor is that all our key riders look and feel good.

Stage 1 Result

1st – Team BMC
2nd – Team NetApp-Endura
3rd – Team Sky
11th – Team MTN-Qhubeka

Profiles Overview

Stage 2 – Limone Sul Garda > San Giacomo di Brentonico (164km)
2 category 2 climbs on route before the finish up a 15km category 1 climb will immediately set the race up for the in form climbers.

Stage 3 – Mori > Ronconi (184km)
A day of constant undulations takes riders over a category 2 and category 1 climb before another summit finish a top the category 2 Roncone climb. A small group of climbers can be expected to come to the line together today.

Stage 4 – Val Daone > Monte Bondone (175km)
The final stage and certainly the queen stage. After an early category 1 climb the race will go over a category 2 climb before the grand finale finish that will see the peloton climb the final 20km’s to Monte Bondone at an average gradient of 8% to conclude the Giro del Trentino. This out of category climb will certainly decide the overall honours.

Giro del Trentino – (Italy) – (22-25 April/UCI 2.HC) Team Lineup