Team MTN-Qhubeka will return to the Italian race Trofeo Laigueglia, after having had a successful debut last season. The German sprinter of the team Gerald Ciolek finished 5th last season, when the team hit the European roads for the first time as a Pro Continental Team. Ciolek won’t be able to participate this year so the captain of the team will be Kristian Sbaragli.

The Sports Director of the team Jens Zemke thinks Sbaragli deserves to have a chance as captain after a top ten in the Mallorca Challenge.

“Kristian deserves the chance to have the team ride for him, after a strong performance and a top ten in the Mallorca Challenge. He made a huge step and if he is climbing strong enough we have a fast guy for the downhill finish”.

But Kristian Sbaragli won’t be the only captain of the team. South African Jay Thompson has just returned to the team after riding the Nationals, from which he came away with 2 medals.

“Jay Thomson is coming from S.A. with 2 medals from the Nationals. He will be motivated as well and could maybe surprise in a race like this,” Zemke added.

Dennis van Niekerk will also take part in the Italian race as part of the MTN-Qhubeka team. He expects a very though race, which will be decided in a sprint in a little front group.

“It is a really hard race I think it will come down to a small group to the last climb and then the race will explode. When it does we need to make sure we have numbers in the front,” Van Niekerk said.

Van Niekerk has just returned after injuries and is very happy with the way he rode the South African Nationals.

“I surprised myself with how I went at SA’s and since then I have been tapering off just a little, I put in some good work before the champs and now I'm ready for the big block of racing coming up.”

Martin Reimer, Songezo Jim, Meron Russom and Johann van Zyl will fill out the rest of the roster. DS Zemke is very confident ahead of the race, which will be take place on Friday

“The race will be tough, especially with the Italian Pro Tour teams who try to control the race. They always bring really strong riders to this race but I was very happy with what I saw from our guys at the training camp in Mallorca,” said Zemke.

He also praises the hard work and training by the African riders of the team and says they are ready to the first races of the season.

“Our African riders have taken a step in the right direction this year. There are many steps in the ladder for them to climb before we see their best fruits though but after the training camp I can say they have definitely gone up a level and are ready for these first races,” concluded Zemke.

MTN-Qhubeka squad for Trofeo Laigueglia:

Kristain Sbaragli, Martin Reimer, Jay Thomson, Songezo Jim, Dennis van Niekerk, Johann van Zyl and

Meron Russom