Following on from its decision to sign Edvald Boasson Hagen to a two year contract, the MTN Qhubeka team has continued its expansion by announcing that Theo Bos will compete for the team in 2015. The five time world track champion has forged a good road career, clocking up 35 wins in total, and this season won a stage in the Tour of Poland plus the overall classification in the World Ports Classic.
Regarded as one of the quickest riders in the peloton, his signing will give the team another option alongside Boasson Hagen and last year’s Milan Sanremo winner Gerald Ciolek.
The contract continues the African team’s push for a place in next year’s Tour de France. It is currently riding its first Grand Tour, the Vuelta España.
“I am really excited to be joining Team MTN-Qhubeka. It is an amazing project that I can’t wait to be a part of,” said Bos. “The team race for a cause that is more than just winning races and that is Qhubeka, a social initiative where they aim to put children in Africa on bicycles. I really like this human element to the team.
“I hope I will be able to bring a fan base with me to the team that will bring new support to the Qhubeka initiative. When I win races I know that I will be able to tell the team’s story and that is something that motivates me.”
Team Principal Douglas Ryder describes Bos as ‘a great sprinter,’ noting that he has won races around the world. “His addition will add strength and depth to our sprint train in one day races and stage races,” he said. “As a rider he wins consistently throughout the season which creates a positive feeling in a team. We look forward to him bringing this positive energy to Team MTN-Qhubeka.
“His top end speed and skills learnt from track cycling is something he is looking forward to assisting our young sprinters with and showing them the way to become future race winners.”
The team is expected to announce further signings in the coming weeks. American sprinter Tyler Farrar is another who has been linked to a possible move to the team.
Bos describes the team as one which has a great culture. He said that he is determined to work hard when he moves on from his current Belkin Pro Cycling squad. “I want to win and we will work together to win. Our success is the success of Africa. I am really motivated and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead with my new team. I still have many goals I want to achieve in world cycling and I believe that Team MTN-Qhubeka is the right team for me to be able to do so.”
Meanwhile another fastman has been confirmed as signing for the team. Reinardt Janse van Rensburg has inked a two year deal after spending the same period of time with the Argos-Shimano/Giant-Shimano setup. He originally raced with MTN-Qhubeka’s Continental team between 2010 and 2012, winning a total of 14 races that year.
He too is a fast finisher and will further bolster the team’s push for big results.