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MTN-Qhubeka gambles on some old hands

Roar Rookie
9th February, 2015
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Matt Goss is only 28 but has he been surpassed by the young guns of the peloton? (Image: MTN-Qhubeka)
Roar Rookie
9th February, 2015
2

After the Jayco Herald Sun Tour last weekend, plenty of young Aussie talents would have been gleefully backslapping and popping champagne corks. And I reckon you’d have heard a pin drop in the last chance saloon.

I’ve followed MTN-Qhubeka since they leaped to notice a couple of years ago, as Aussie sports fans always have a soft spot for an underdog.

At the Milan-San Remo in 2013 I applauded when MTN’s Gerald Ciolek unexpectedly out-gunned Peter Sagan and Fabian Cancellara at the end of a gruelling, snowbound race.

His two rivals thought they would fight it between themselves and the winning photograph shows Sagan glaring at the Ciolek in disbelief.

That win threw the world spotlight onto the little African team and they kept recruiting; not so much a list of high rollers – more like a gang of hard-bitten triers hoping to get a lucky break at last.

Drinkers at the last chance saloon.

The odds may be long, but that break could be just around the corner in the shape of a wildcard to the biggest, toughest poker game of all. The 2015 Tour de France.

Will the squad have what it takes? The rigours of a three-week Grand Tour will test their talent and depth completely. But before July they desperately want to tally some wins to boost their confidence and prove they’re worthy of the start.

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I like their ethical side too. Qhubeka is the name of a South African charity helping under-privileged communities. Particularly, they supply bicycles to children in poverty who otherwise walk many miles to school, or simply don’t attend.

There are two ways to build a pro cycling team. Pick young talent from the juniors and hope they develop, or put your money on some old hands going cheap. This has been the MTN strategy. They have signed African talent as well, but no doubt the old hands are expected to win most of the tricks while the youngsters try to prove that they’re aces, not twos.

Let’s look at some of their pick ups.

Matt Goss’ time with Highroad was solid enough even before his breakout win in the 2012 Milan-San Remo, which no doubt rocketed his salary prospects. Orica-GreenEDGE promptly nabbed him as their marquee sprinter. Unfortunately Goss struggled to win again.

It wasn’t so much his sprints that were mistimed – more his whole career. He learnt it was easier to race with Cavendish than against him, and then the fast rising Andre Griepel, Marcel Kittel and Sagan shot him down again and again. Suddenly the world was full of very fast guns.

After OGE lost patience, MTN were more than happy to put Gossy back in the game. But like their their other international signings he’s well on the way to that career defining number -30 – and this year we will see if their gamble has paid off.

Tyler Farrar boasts a strong record of Grand Tour stage wins and sound Classics results. But the wins have dwindled since the glory days of 2010 and 2011. Slipstream Garmin said goodbye and good luck at the end of last season.

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Theo Bos is 31. The Dutchman was once a powerful rider on the track, but has been less glorious in his road career with Cervelo and Rabobank. Like Farrar and Goss his best hopes lie in a fast finish but we all know sprinting is a younger man’s game.

Matt Brammeier is a Welsh/Irish journeyman who has ridden for eight teams in 10 years. Most of his wins have come in the Irish national championships over the last four years, but he’s unlikely to deliver any more Leprechaun gold anytime soon.

Edvald Boasson-Hagen spent the last four years with Sky. He was a celebrated signing for the Brits, but perhaps because of the depth of talent wearing black Rapha he was starved of the results he probably deserved. He has talent and likely a few good years still ahead of him. MTN have their fingers crossed anyway.

At 33 Steve Cummings is the team’s elder statesman. Over the years he’s experienced his share of bad luck so let’s hope the cards fall his way. Belgian Serge Pauwels is another solid team man, rather than a likely winner.

Back to this year’s Herald Sun. It’s obviously early in the season so far, but MTN would have fancied their chances in Australia. Orica-GreenEDGE aside, the start list looked like a beatable mix of other Pro Continental and local National Road Series teams. No push overs, but team management would have bet on a stage win or two at least.

Surely Goss would have liked to win at home? Or is he building patiently for a return to Milan-San Remo? Farrar went oh so close, only to be shot down by a Caleb Ewan bullet so fast he wouldn’t have seen it coming.

Do MTN have enough aces for a winning hand, or are their best cards simply bluffing? Pro cycling is like the Wild West sometimes. Hard and unforgiving. You need to be quick – and have lady luck on your side. MTN-Qhubeka need it all to go right if there’s to be champagne served in the last chance saloon this July.

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