WATERLOO, WI/JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (BRAIN)—Trek Bicycle will now be the official bike supplier of Team MTN-Qhubeka, the largest multi-discipline professional cycling team in Africa.
The team comprises 24 men and women of different African nationalities competing in road, mountain bike and BMX racing. “One of our focus areas is the development of a new generation of competitive African athletes,” said Team MTN-Qhubeka principal Doug Ryder. “Fourteen of our athletes are under 26 years of age. Our team is a mix of young riders and experienced leaders.”
With additional support from component suppliers SRAM and Ritchey, MTN-Qhubeka races a full professional UCI-continental road and mountain bike schedule throughout Africa, Europe, Asia and the South Pacific.
“To have a partner like Trek that has aided athletes in riding to the most prestigious titles in all of cycling as our team’s bike is an amazing thing,” Ryder said. “While their bikes speak for themselves, what Trek really offers is a wealth of racing experience that the entire team will benefit greatly from.”
Part of Team MTN-Qhubeka’s vision is to provide opportunities to develop young African riders to perform at the highest levels of the sport. Qhubeka, a South African nonprofit organization supported by the team, provides bikes to rural children throughout Africa in exchange for community and environmental improvement work. The organization is a beneficiary of World Bicycle Relief, supported by SRAM and Trek.
“The team represents so much more than just racing,” said Trek Race Department director Scott Daubert. “We’re excited to get to work with this special group of athletes and help them reach new heights on the road and trail while spreading their message to a wider audience.”
