Zipp News

Team MTN-Qhubeka progresses to world stage

Qhubeka is an Nguni (Zulu, Xhosa) word meaning “to carry on,” “to progress” or “to move forwards.” And that is what the Zipp-supported Team MTN-Qhubeka is all about when it comes to promoting and racing bikes. 

MTN-Qhubeka – Africa’s first-ever UCI registered Pro Continental Team – will line up for the elite men’s 53.2 km team time trial Sept. 16 at the UCI Road World Championships in the Netherlands. Team members also will compete in the under-23 men’s individual time trial Sept. 17, the elite men’s time trial Sept. 19, and elite men’s road race Sept. 23.

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The team seeks to provide opportunities for African riders to compete at the highest levels of cycling while promoting Qhubeka, a South African non-profit organization that provides bicycles to rural children in return for work done to improve their communities. Qhubeka is a beneficiary of World Bicycle Relief, a non-profit group founded by SRAM.
 
MTN-Qhubeka previously had been a predominantly South African team, though this year it has added riders from elsewhere on the continent. In fact, four of the team’s nine riders at the world championships are black athletes from other African nations. Merom Russom, from Eritrea, is the only black African rider in the entire field taking part in the team time trial, according to the team. MTN-Qhubeka is passionate about demonstrating to the world that Africa has top cycling talent.

Doug Ryder, team principal, said the squad is thankful for the support from Zipp and SRAM and for a shared mission with World Bicycle Relief to mobilize and empower people through bicycles.

“The partnership with SRAM and Zipp is evident through that synergy. But then we are also a high-performance African race team that is ranked No. 1 in Africa, and to achieve that we need the fastest wheels and best equipment, which we know we have in SRAM and Zipp,” Ryder said. “This is the best partnership for a race team and a team that advocates the power of the bicycle.”

For the six-man team time trial, MTN Qhubeka Cycling’s Trek Speed Concept frames will be equipped with:

• Zipp Super-9 discs
• Zipp 808 Firecrest front wheels
• SRAM RED return-to-center shifters
• SRAM RED drivetrains

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