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news
Mark Cavendish and Bernard Eisel in 2011 (copyright SImon MacMichael)Mark Cavendish and Bernard Eisel reportedly sign for MTN-Qhubeka
Mark Cavendish has reportedly signed for MTN-Qhubeka, with the move reuniting him with close friend and former team mate Bernard Eisel, who is also said to be signing for the South African team, according to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
The 30-year-old, who earlier this week underwent surgery on the shoulder he injured when he crashed at the Tour of Britain a fortnight ago, is out of contract at Etixx-Quick Step at the end of the season.
Previously linked with teams including Trek Factory Racing, more recently MTN-Qhubeka have emerged as the front-runner to sign him.
However the need to find a new sponsor to replace telecommunications provider MTN is likely to have held up negotiations with former world champion Cavendish and his agents.
The team is known to have been talking to Dimension Data during the Tour de France, but has this week been linked with Etihad Airways.
That could be significant in terms of Cavendish joining the team – last week, he helped launch the Abu Dhabi Tour, of which he is an ambassador, and where the airline sponsors one of the jerseys.
Cavendish and Eisel last rode together for Team Sky in 2012, having joined it at the end of the previous season when their former team HTC-Highroad was wound up.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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22 comments
Isn't this high profile signing rather stretching the 'First African' this or that that they were being praised for? They just seem like any European pro team now. Focus changed.
Cavendish is faster, just not as fast as a,b,c,d etc etc
My lady, who allows me to watch all the TV cycling, reckons Cav's time at the top is over and he should get a job in a bike shop. (She actually said Halfords but I managed to talk her into something more general.)
Confirmed that Mark Renshaw is joining him.
I see the Dimension Data sponsorship deal is now official:
http://www.bdlive.co.za/sport/othersport/2015/09/25/mtn-qhubeka-to-becom...
Are they letting some of their other sprinter go? or are they going to have a sprinter for every kind of parcours?
I think this is a really good move, they've been a really interesting team to watch, and although Cav may not be quite the dominant force he was (quite possibly due to others upping their game) he's still one of the fastest guys in the world, and this probably means he hasn't been motivated primarily by the money but by having a team built around him winning, if renshaw is on board as well then they could be a big threat to some of the other teams.
It'll be a great pity if they have, as the press release states, renamed to Team Dimension Data meaning that they have dropped Qhubeka from their team title.
Agreed, but the weblink also seems to imply that they don't mind, 'The change in name also highlights the desire within the team to move away from the idea of Qhubeka as a sponsor and reflect it as being a recipient of help from the team. The team works to provide funds for the Qhubeka charity that looks to mobilise and help Africans by giving them bikes.'
It hasn't been entirely dropped either - the name is "Team Dimension Data riding for Qhubeka"
Dimension Data have taken on the role.
Glad they got it sorted, one of the most fun teams in recent years.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dimension-data-named-as-new-primary-spon...
I think MTN-Qhubeka are great -and the fact that there's an ethical dimension to what they is all the better. Much as I enjoy Sky's near-Teutonic efficiency and focus, I can't see Murdoch looking to help some of the planet's poorest people any time soon.
I mean an American soccer team. Not the thing where the players wear helmets and pads etc.
Will MTN-Quebeka give him time to compete on the track?
Renshaw will go too.
It feels like the equivalent of an American football team signing somebody like Steven Gerard or Frank Lampard.
Er what? MTN have been better & more prolific than a number of WorldTour teams this years (IAM, Lampre, for example). Not sure what the deal is, though, they do seem to be hiring a lot of 'seasoned' sprinters. Maybe they've a young Marcel Kittel type waiting in the wings that they need an experienced leadout for...
Maybe they've realised that competing for the points jerseys is more effective at raising their profile than just going after stage wins. Mounting a full on GC challenge would be too costly and difficult at this stage.
I mean signing somebody that was once world class but is now a spent-force. I agree with you that MTN are a up and coming team so I don't understand why they'd sign someone like Cavendish. I assume its like an American soccer team signing an ex England international - its a ludicrous sporting decision but it'll help with publicity, training young sprinters in the team etc.
Critics are always claiming Cavendish is past his best blah blah etc etc.
I recommend that you make fewer assumptions; try listening to people who know what they're doing. Qhubeka have been Pro-Conti for 3 years and want to step up to WorldTour, not merely get publicity by signing fading stars with some UCI points.
Well, obviously. I'd hardly expect fanboys to be saying it.
And I already said MTN are an up and coming team. They have loads of ambition and money, they should be looking to sign a younger sprinter at the top of his game.
Look at the leadout potential there; Eisel, Farrar, EBH, Goss, Bos, Ciolek; not slow. Get them working as a team and magic will happen. Cav's not spent.
No mention of Mark Renshaw moving along with Cav.
Thanks for pointing that out...