Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Sunday, December 6, 2020
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2020 Tour de France | 2020 Giro d'Italia
The amount of sleep required by the average person is five minutes more. – Wilson Mizner
Upcoming racing:
- Jan 21 - 24, 2021:
Schwalbe Classic & Tour Down Under - Jan 28 - 31, 2021: Challenge Illes Belears
Latest completed racing:
- Nov 14: GP Leuven Cyclocross
- Nov 7 - 8: European Cyclocross Championships
- Oct 31: Cyclocross Koppenberg
- Oct 24: Cyclocross Ruddervoorde
- Oct 20 - Nov 8: Vuelta a España
- October 3 - 25: Giro d'Italia
- Oct 21: Driedaagse Brugge-De Panne
- October 18: Ronde van Vlaanderen
- October 14: Scheldeprijs
- October 11: Gent-Wevelgem
- October 11: Paris-Tours
- October 7: De Brabantse Pijl/ La Flèche Brabanconne
Mark Cavendish agrees to re-join Deceuninck-Quick Step
Here’s the team’s announcement:
One of the most decorated riders in history, Mark Cavendish is returning to Deceuninck – Quick-Step after five years. Part of the team between 2013 and 2015, when he contributed to the squad’s extraordinary legacy with 44 victories, eight of which came in Grand Tour stages, the Manxman has agreed to sport the new kit of the team, which will be revealed in a couple of days, throughout the 2021 season.
Mark Cavendish winning the seventh stage of the 2015 Tour of San Luis wearing his Quick Step kit.
A professional since 2007, Cavendish has left a truly indelible mark on cycling in the past 15 years, winning close to 150 races on the road while in the pro ranks. Of these, 48 were achieved in the Grand Tours, where the 35-year-old has managed to become one of the few riders in history to win all three points jerseys. The 2011 World Championships, 2009 Milano-Sanremo, and two wins in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne are some of the many other dazzling highlights of a remarkable career that the Brit will continue together with the Wolfpack.
“I can’t explain how delighted I am to be joining Deceuninck – Quick-Step. I have never hidden my affection for my time with the team and to me this genuinely feels like I am coming home. As well as the incredible group of riders, I can’t wait to start working again with the staff, most of which were here during my first spell and were part of one of the most successful periods of my career, an era that I am immensely proud of. Even with an extremely difficult and disrupted season this year, they have shown how strong and unified they are and I am hoping to add to even more. I can’t wait to be back in the Wolfpack”, said Mark Cavendish.
Deceuninck – Quick-Step CEO Patrick Lefevere is delighted to have the former World Champion, whose career also counts several world titles on the track, back in the team: “Us and Mark share many beautiful memories and have a history that goes a long way back. During his three-year spell with the team, he didn’t just claim dozens of victories for the team, he showed amazing panache and what an incredibly dedicated team player he is. We are happy to have him return to our family, as he is a leader and brings across a wealth of experience that he can share with our young riders, but at the same time we are confident he still has something to give to the team.”
Sergio Henao signs as first-ever Colombian for Team Qhubeka ASSOS
Here’s the team’s press release:
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, December 5, 2020/ -- Sergio Henao will make history by becoming the first Colombian to ever ride for Team Qhubeka ASSOS, when he joins our organisation in 2021.
Henao, 32, has forged a formidable career for himself at the highest level and will add a huge wealth of experience and ability to our squad.
Sergio Henao at the start of the 2018 Vuelta a España's sixth stage. Sirotti photo
That experience includes in riding in support of Chris Froome for two of his Tour de France victories demonstrating the key role that he’s able to play in the biggest races and so brings significant depth to our stage-racing aspirations for the future.
The double national champion (2017 & ’18) also won Paris-Nice in 2017 when at Team Sky finishing ahead of Alberto Contador and Dan Martin. He spent seven seasons with the British team before joining Team UAE Emirates.
Henao becomes the 23rd confirmed rider on our roster for 2021, with the remainder of our line-up to be confirmed in due course.
Sergio Henao:
I'm so excited to sign for Team Qhubeka ASSOS. I look forward to playing a critical role in supporting my teammates at the various races during the season and I can’t wait to take on this new challenge. Importantly though I also want to get good results for my new team and in doing so also inspire future generations.
My goals will be to share my experience and in the process to do a great job on each stage, and I look forward to rising for raising my hands in celebration of our team’s successes.
I also know that giving my absolute maximum effort is crucial visibility for our sponsors and always doing my best is a vitally important part of the world of cycling.
I’m also very excited to engage with the Qhubeka Charity; I love the power that we hold in making a difference and that we can help when our hands are all joined - cycling helps us all to smile.
And finally, to be the first Colombian rider at the team means a huge amount - effort, inspiration, sacrifice and so much more. I’m incredibly proud to show my yellow, blue and red colours on my new jersey, at my new awesome team.
Douglas Ryder – Team Principal:
It’s really incredible to have Sergio Henao, our first Colombian rider, join Team Qhubeka ASSOS. I remember being in Colombia just over 20 years ago racing the World Championships and the people are the most incredible people, so passionate about cycling and the riders always race with such heart.
Sergio will be a great addition to our team in the general classification area and we’re looking forward to the impact that he can make with our team next season. I’m super excited to have him in our team and I can’t wait to see him race in our kit as the new season starts.
It’s going to be a great year for us, we’re building a really nice team together with many different cultures and nationalities and I think that diversity is going to be our strength.
We’re probably one of the most international teams in cycling in 2021 and we look forward to bringing everyone together and seeing what we can do.
Lars Michaelsen – Head Sports Director:
He’s been in the game for a long time and has a lot of experience, which is always really nice to have. From what I understand, having spoken to many people, is that he’s a very valuable team member who is easy to work with that loves his job as a rider; he just simply loves to ride his bike.
For us I think the value in him will be his secure role as someone who can cope with grand tours in a helper role or like he did with David de la Cruz at the recent Vuelta for UAE, where he supported him but also went top-15 himself on GC; but perhaps he could be someone we send in a breakaway too so he gives us numerous options.
He’s a double-Colombian champion and obviously spent many years with Team Sky so his wealth of experience is something that the team will hopefully and should profit from.
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