After the end of Team Qhubeka Nexthash many riders were put in a very complicated situation with no contract and very little time to have a safety net. Today Nicholas Dlamini officially signed a contract and will continue his career as a professional cyclist.
"Team Qhubeka means to move forward, and we will continue to move forward, changing people's lives, providing hope, opportunity, and mobility. Our team is about performance and racing, but it is equally about upliftment and community. We are very excited about our UCI Continental team for this year as well as our incredible partners," said team principal Doug Ryder, announcing the continuity of the project's continental team, which is going into it's 7th season.
Riders such as Stefan de Bod, Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier, Ryan Gibbons, Luca Mozzato, Matteo Sobrero, Alexander Konychev, Natnael Tesfatsion and Samuele Battistela have represented the team in the last few years which have then later gone to establish themselves well within the pro ranks. The team will have 14 riders for the 2022 season and remains focused on developing young African riders.
Dlamini is coming in with an important role as a mentor with a lot of experience at WorldTour level with the recently discontinued team. "The team has given me personal opportunities including being able to fulfil my childood dream and to ride the Tour de France. This year I will fill a mentorship role to the under-23 riders in the squad. Having moved through the ranks and now being able to mentor the youngsters in the team and show them the ropes, will be extremely fulfilling for me."
"I'm really excited to stay with @TeamQhubeka_ as the team means an enormous amount to me & is a part of my DNA." @nich_dlamini We're thrilled to announce our 14 riders for 2022 & are humbled by your support of our movement. 🖐️ ➡️🔗bit.ly/3ATUpCl #BicyclesChangeLives
His ambitions aren't limited by that role though, as he still dreams of returning to the Tour de France, in which he debuted in 2021 but was unable to finish as he finished outside the time limit en route to Tignes after an early crash.
"Regarding the Tour de France, there is unfinished business and I would love to go back to the Tour to finish what I started; I still have a lot of years ahead of me to race my bike and achieve my dreams and goals."
