The Dane, whose road racing abilities are mirrored by his starring role on the track, forms a vital part of the engine-room that will be looking to deliver the likes of European and Italian champion Giacomo Nizzolo, Germany’s Max Walscheid and leadout man Matteo Pelucchi in to the final stages of the highly-anticipated race.
It’s an event in which crosswinds are likely to play a factor over the 204.4km route, and should make for an exciting spectacle.
The additional firepower for Team Qhubeka ASSOS will come from fellow Dane Andreas Stokbro together with Dutchman Bert-Jan Lindeman and Poland’s Lukasz Wisniowski.
We would like to extend our thanks to Michael Prior for his video submission of our lineup for the race and for his continued support of the team and the Qhubeka Charity. You can view that here (https://bit.ly/3d47Fc2).
Lineup [squad numbers]:
- Lasse Norman Hansen [44]
- Bert-Jan Lindeman [02]
- Andreas Stokbro [08]
- Giacomo Nizzolo [33]
- Max Walscheid [13]
- Matteo Pelucchi [27]
- Lukasz Wisniowski [99]
Lasse Norman Hansen
I’m looking forward to going into a sunny edition of De Panne tomorrow, but it looks like there will be some wind playing a factor. That said generally the weather looks to be good, so at this point it would point towards the race finishing in a bunch sprint. I’m looking forward to play my part in getting success for the team, however the race may develop.
More generally I’m really happy in the team. I’m really enjoying the atmosphere and the Ubuntu style in the races. Its a good and professional environment with space for having fun on the bike.
Hendrik Redant – Sports Director
It can be a very interesting race especially if there’s going to be a lot of wind – and if the weather’s good or bad. Tomorrow we’re expecting no rain and the wind to be “average” but it will still create quite a bit of damage in the peloton because there is quite a stretch of narrow roads and there’s always crosswinds.
It was a race which I won once – a long time ago! – but the sport’s changed drastically but for us I think we will be looking to see how far as a team we’re able to ride with the peloton if it doesn’t break up.
I reckon, weather dependent, it’s going to be a big group for a sprint and then with Nizzolo, Walscheid and others we have guys who can go fast. The plan will be for Nizzolo as our fastest guy but first of all he has to be in the big break, if that happens, and I think tomorrow we’ll create chances for a good result.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka ASSOS.
Media Contact:
Jean Smyth (Head of Communications)
Email: jean@ryder.co.za
Mobile: +27 63 4701 1710 or +31 625 739 033
About Team Qhubeka ASSOS:
Team Qhubeka ASSOS (TeamQhubeka.com) is a purpose-led, high-performance team, fighting to win on the world's biggest stage, to inspire hope and create opportunity. Founded in 2007, Team Qhubeka ASSOS (formerly NTT Pro Cycling) became the first-ever African cycling team to gain a UCI WorldTour license, in 2016.
We achieved our first major win in 2013 when Gerald Ciolek won Milan-San Remo, one of the five Monuments of cycling. We have competed in six Tour de France’s and notched up 7 stage wins, with Mark Cavendish wearing the coveted Yellow Jersey at the 2016 Tour de France.
We are a multicultural, diverse team with bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. There are 19 nationalities represented across our World Tour and continental feeder team rosters. Our focus on developing African cycling has resulted in more than 55 riders from the African continent be given the opportunity to race on the world stage, since the team's inception.
We race to help people to move forward with bicycles through our relationship with Qhubeka Charity. Through our work with Qhubeka, we have contributed to the distribution of over 30 000 bicycles in communities in South Africa.
About Qhubeka:
Qhubeka (Qhubeka.org) is a charity that moves people forward with bicycles. People earn bicycles through our programmes, improving their access to schools, clinics and jobs.
A bicycle is a tool that helps people to travel faster and further, and to carry more. In the face of extreme and persistent poverty, bicycles can change lives by helping to address socioeconomic challenges at the most basic level – helping people to get where they need to go.
All images attached to the press release can be used with the respective image credit in combination to this release.
