Team Qhubeka ASSOS has announced its eight-rider roster for the 2021 Tour de France, which includes a debut for Nicholas Dlamini, who becomes the first black South African ever to compete at the event.
Team Qhubeka ASSOS, Africa’s UCI WorldTour team, will make its seventh appearance at the Tour de France having first competed in 2015 (MTN-Qhubeka). Over that period the team has won seven stages; and worn the yellow, green and polka dot jerseys.
Nicholas Dlamini’s selection is seen as a landmark moment for the South African-registered team as he becomes the latest rider to progress from its development team and onto the UCI WorldTour, and subsequently earn his selection to compete at the world’s biggest cycling race.
The 25-year-old, who grew up in an informal settlement in Cape Town, first caught the eye as a runner before moving into cycling where his talents saw him move to the UCI’s World Cycling Centre Africa in Potchefstroom, South Africa. It is from here that he first earned a spot in the UCI Continental outfit – Team Qhubeka – based in Lucca, Italy.
Dlamini’s style of racing will likely see his talents deployed in the offensive strategy the team will look to pursue during the race, while also playing a key supporting role in the flatter stages.
The 2021 Tour de France gets underway in Brest on June 26, and finishes on Paris on July 18.
Team Qhubeka ASSOS: 2021 Tour de France line-up [squad numbers]:
- Simon Clarke – Australia [09]
- Michael Gogl – Austria [07]
- Victor Campenaerts – Belgium [55]
- Max Walscheid – Germany [13]
- Sean Bennett – USA [31]
- Nic Dlamini – South Africa [17]
- Sergio Henao – Colombia [10]
- Fabio Aru – Italy [21]
Douglas Ryder, Team Principal at Team Qhubeka ASSOS, said “This year is an incredibly special one for us – for so many reasons – and now at the Tour de France we again will have the opportunity to showcase our unique purpose-driven team to the world.
“Selection for a Tour de France team is always very difficult, and what we’ve seen again this year is riders across our squad put their hand up for selection. Our final roster is one that I know will do our team, partners and supporters proud in the true spirit of Ubuntu.
“Riding your first ever Tour is such a special moment and I couldn’t be more delighted for Nic, Sean and Victor. We have huge amounts of experience in Fabio, Michael, Simon and Sergio, while Max – together with Victor – shone at the Giro and will be looking to carry that confidence into this race.
“For Nic, what a moment though; his story is simply an incredible one and for him to have earned this opportunity shows that dreams really do come true, and for the team to have provided that opportunity makes me incredibly proud.
“He’s always been an individual that has stepped up and taken the opportunities that he’s fought for; and he does so again as he lines up at the start line in Brest on the sport’s biggest stage in front of the world. This will culminate in an incredible moment for him, South Africa and especially for our team.
“His selection speaks to everything about what we’ve created and built with this team through providing hope, an opportunity and then ultimately the platform to be on the biggest stage of all, the Tour de France.
“I know that the spirit coursing through the squad in the way we’ve performed this year will again be on show for the world to see, and I can’t wait for racing to get underway.
Nicholas Dlamini said “Being selected to ride in my first Tour de France is an absolute dream come true for me. It’s always been an absolute childhood dream for me and now that I’m about to live it makes it feel surreal.
“I think it speaks to what the team is about, the Ubuntu spirit, and how we change people’s lives because it is honestly a very special moment: to come from a small township and then to go to the Tour de France.
“Considering where I come from it would simply have been impossible for me to have the opportunity to ride at the Tour de France if it wasn’t for Team Qhubeka ASSOS. The platform that they’ve provided me, and other riders from Africa, to compete at the highest level in cycling has been critical.
“I really hope that this will serve as a reference of hope and inspiration to many young South Africans, and people around the world, who have been working really hard to reach their dreams, my hope is that they take from this that anything is possible.
“I want to race the tour to inspire more kids on Qhubeka bikes to follow in my footsteps and to experience the world like I have, for more kids in communities to put their hands up for bikes to work hard like I did, to dream big. I am living my dream.”
