The future of Africa's only Pro-Continental cycling team has been secured after it was announced today Dimension Data would become the title sponsor of the MTN-Qhubeka team.
The team, who have been a revelation at the Tour de France this year, will be known as Team Dimension Data from January 1.
"We are incredibly excited to have Dimension Data become our new title partner," said Doug Ryder, the team founder and principal. "It enables us to continue to support the development of African cycling and the Qhubeka charity at the highest levels in world cycling. Cycling is such a high tech sport, and we've leveraged technology and data through our high performance team to build the bridge from racing in Africa to competing successfully against the best in the world on the global race calendar. Partnering with Dimension Data supports us more in this area, and will also help us be more connected with our growing fan base around the world. This is the next step in our journey and we look forward to accelerating our collective ambitions through this partnership."
Dimension Data became a co-sponsor of the team before the Tour de France this year, having become the official technology partner for ASO, who run the Tour and the majority of the world's largest races. Long-time backer MTN withdrew as the main sponsor of the team just a few days after the Tour de France ended, a decision that had long been rumoured, but the timing of the announcement by the cellphone company was widely criticised. Their contract runs until the end of the year.
"Dimension Data is proud to become the new title partner of this amazing African team," said Dimension Data Group CEO Brett Dawson. "We're a global technology organisation, and because the team leverages technology - both on and off the bike - are joint goal is to take the team and African cycling to new heights. In addition, we want to help develop African riders into professional cyclists who will compete in some of the greatest cycling events on the African continent and across the world."
Ryder said the Qhubeka initiative to get needy children on bikes would continue to be a huge part of team, with Dimension Data supporting the programme. The aim of the team was to put raise enough money to put 5000 children on bicycles, a target they are in reach of achieving.
The team have had a year that he could not have dreamt, said Ryder. Being invited to the Tour de France was a huge step forward, as was picking five Africans in their nine-man squad. Then Eritrean Daniel Teklehaimanot took the lead in the King of the Mountains category and held on to it for four days, the first African to wear a major jersey in a Grand Tour. The stage victory by Steve Cummings on Mandela Day could not have been better scripted, the Englishman winning with a powerful surge in the final kilometre. In all, team took 14 top 10 finishes on stages, they won the team competition four times, were second overall at one stage and ended as fifth overall in that team competition. Serge Pauwels, the Belgian rider, spent over 17 hours in breakaways, the most by any man at the Tour.
The team took seven Africans to the recent Vuelta a Espana, including Songezo Jim, the 25-year old from Khayelitsha, who became the first black South African to take part in and complete a Grand Tour. Just 10 years ago, Jim could not ride a bicycle, and was persuaded to begin when he watched the Cape Town Cycle Tour. Kristian Sbaragli won a stage at the Vuelta for MTN-Qhubeka, while Louis Meintjes took 10th overall, the highest placing by an African rider at a Grand Tour.
The team's success has seen them linked with Mark Cavendish, the British sprinter, as well as other top riders. Cavendish is yet to announce whom he will ride for next year. It is understood Nathan Haas may sign for the team. Cervelo, who came on as the official bike sponsors, will remain with the team.