All things Team Qhubeka NextHash

[Nick]

2 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

All good questions that I have idea where to start answering which is where my question of the threads came from. The mechanics of this deal plays a role in the survival of Team Qhubeka.

I'll be honest. I just saw the Swiss registration and thought: "That's no longer 'Africa's Team' vibes".

I'll move it all back together.

[jcza]

Q365 submitted application for Pro team, no submission for Qhubeka. 

[Nick]

https://www.q36-5.com/q36-5-announces-pro-cycling-team/

Vincenzo Nibali joins professional team as technical advisor and Q36.5 brand ambassador

As Q36.5 we’ve been driven by our mission of ‘Innovation for Human Performance’. Today, we’re proud to carry our mission forward by announcing officially that Q36.5 will be the sponsor and technical garment provider of the Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM, managed by Doug Ryder. Former Italian professional cyclist Vincenzo Nibali will join the team as technical advisor and Q36.5 brand ambassador.

Since our inception in 2013, Q36.5 has been pushing the limits of cycling apparel by using highly technological fabrics that guarantee next-level thermoregulation for athletes in the most extreme and difficult conditions. Our name is rooted in research and development – “quaerere” in Latin meaning ”research” and 36.5 indicating the ideal body temperature in degrees Celsius during any form of physical activity. Q36.5 excels as a research laboratory with its roots in Italian craftsmanship, resulting in award-winning innovations such as the UNIQUE Bib Shorts, the world’s first entirely seamless and three dimensional bibs.

This mission is seen reflected in the Pro Team’s mission of ‘Racing the Future’ – allowing the team to function as a research laboratory and vehicle for change alike, that aims to redefine the future of the sport and its impact on the world.

“What really unites us in the mission of our Pro Team is the belief that cycling has the power to create positive change and pave the way forward for people and performance to progress.” Luigi Bergamo, CEO & Head of R&D of Q36.5 states. “Our expertise in product development has allowed athletes for years now to make significant gains and improve their performance and we’re extremely proud to see the team’s riders benefit from our products.”

Bergamo says that for Q36.5, the team will be a testing ground for creating world-winning performances through people, product, and technology. Together they will further develop the next generation of highly technical, sustainable and absolutely functional Race Wear to be tried and tested by pro athletes during the toughest conditions. The core focus is to maximize performance through sustainable innovations and push the boundaries through radical product development.

“Thanks to Nibali’s involvement, we’ll be able to leverage his incredible wealth of knowledge and experience and actively involve him in product testing and the development of the new Q36.5 Pro Team Race Wear.” Bergamo adds.

“After 18 seasons racing at the highest level, I am now excited to continue working in the world of professional cycling in this new role. As the team’s technical advisor, I will have the opportunity to pass on to the next generation the knowledge I have acquired over all these years as a pro. The collaboration with Q36.5 will see me actively working with the R&D team to develop more and more advanced products”, Nibali adds.

With progress at its core, the Team’s mission is to function equally as a springboard for people and talents, and as a means to help communities grow sustainably using the upwards mobility that bikes offer. Doug Ryder, General Manager of the team highlights the importance of bicycles. “Bikes don’t only bring people together, they also move them forward. As a team, we’ll be racing for more than just winning, we’re racing to positively shape the future, with a key focus on mobility, education, and development.”

With 13 nationalities represented in the Q36.5 Pro Cycling’s squad of 23 riders, the team offers an inspiring blend of youth and experience. Our squad will race with a goal of establishing our presence in the professional peloton. Our continental team will act as a springboard for people and talents.

The 2023 Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team riders:

· Negasi Haylu Abreha – ETH
· Matteo Badilatti – SUI
· Jack Bauer – NZL
· Gianluca Brambilla – ITA
· Walter Calzoni – ITA
· Marcel Camprubi Pijuan – ESP
· Fabio Christen – SUI
· Filippo Colombo – SUI
· Filippo Conca – ITA
· Corey Davis – USA
· Tom Devriendt – BEL
· Mark Donovan- GBR
· Alessandro Fedeli – ITA
· Carl Fredrik Hagen – NOR
· Damien Howson – AUS
· Tobias Ludvigsson – SWE
· Cyrus Monk – AUS
· Matteo Moschetti – ITA
· Nicolo’ Parisini – ITA
· Antonio Puppio – ITA
· Joseph Rosskopf – USA
· Szymon Sajnok – POL
· Nickolas Zukowsky – CAN

They will be led by Performance Manager Alex Sans Vega, who will be supported by sports directors Aart Vierhouten and Gabriele Missaglia. The coaching staff will be led by Carles Tur Carbonell and Mattia Michelusi.

Head of Performance, Alex Sans Vega elaborates: “We have assembled a talented, motivated and committed group of individuals, who can be competitive in every type of race and terrain. We want to perform at the highest level from the beginning. The experienced riders who have joined us from the WorldTour bring a wealth of knowledge and will be able to mentor the youngsters in our squad. We have an excellent mix to become one of the best Pro Teams.”

[DieselnDust]

Saw the notification of team launch in their instagram page yesterday. Still no announcement on team Qhubeka but I guess we have to assume it’s dead or becomes a SA team?

[FootballingCyclist]

So the week post DC, I saw the guys and ladies who rode for the Breiling teams did the whole visiting of the Khayelitsha township aswell as the Qhubeka hub and all the things the Pro Team used to do. I found it weird that they were doing it but then remembered that the Qhubeka team riders were all based in Europe and the visit is usually done in Dec/Jan when they have the team training camp etc. Then yesterday the new team formed by Doug Q36.5 had their kit unveiling and I see that Breitling is 1 of the main sponsors, So kinda made sense then that this "agreement" was in place for a while already and had me thinking the "Q" in Q36.5 perhaps stood for Qhubeka? However, The one thing I noticed though is on the list of contracted riders, not 1 of them are South Africans. So this to me is kind of sad to see because when this whole thing was launched way back when, We had a whole host of riders in the WT riding for MTN-Qhubeka at the time like Maincheese, Reinhart, Jaco Venter, Songezo Jim to name a few and at that time the feeder team had the likes of Jayde Julius, Kent Main, Nic Dlamini, Shameegh Salie etc etc and I feel that's where the country (and cycling community) really got the brand and started taking note. Now it just seems it's another team on the Pro circuit like any other, full of Europeans and nothing really to show from Africa bar the 1 Ethiopian rider. Probably why their slogan has changed to #RacingTheFuture

Edited January 11, 2023 by FootballingCyclist

[Nick]

7 minutes ago, FootballingCyclist said:

had me thinking the "Q" in Q36.5 perhaps stood for Qhubeka?

It's the name of the title sponsor: https://www.q36-5.com/

The only continuity, it seems, is that Doug has a job there. And Breitling 🤣

[splat]

That bike is pretty hot

[Nick]

16 minutes ago, Nick said:

It's the name of the title sponsor: https://www.q36-5.com/

The only continuity, it seems, is that Doug has a job there. And Breitling 🤣

And the IG account 🤔 Easy way to start a follower base?

 

Still trying to figure out if Qhubeka still had a license and whether that was bought by the new owners. PCS seems to suggest so with them seeing it as the same team.

But regardless, it's clearly a completely different vibe to Africa's team.

[FootballingCyclist]

11 minutes ago, Nick said:

And the IG account 🤔 Easy way to start a follower base?

 

Still trying to figure out if Qhubeka still had a license and whether that was bought by the new owners. PCS seems to suggest so with them seeing it as the same team.

But regardless, it's clearly a completely different vibe to Africa's team.

Yeah nothing to suggest they're "Africa's" team now.

So the only registered Pro Team SA have now is Team Honeycomb who bought over the ProTouch license and will now be Conti.

[Shebeen]

47 minutes ago, Nick said:

It's the name of the title sponsor: https://www.q36-5.com/

The only continuity, it seems, is that Doug has a job there. And Breitling 🤣

can someone please start a Q20 racing team locally?

(and then get it sponsored by squirt - who knew they had actual chain lube?!)

 

The other SA link is of course the guy throwing the money at it, meneer Glasenberg.

https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/nickolas-dlamini

end of the road? Doug hitched his pony to the NicD train, but loyalty is best gained from the canine sector.

some decent names here

https://www.procyclingstats.com/team/q365-pro-cycing-team

40 minutes ago, Nick said:

And the IG account 🤔 Easy way to start a follower base?

 

Still trying to figure out if Qhubeka still had a license and whether that was bought by the new owners. PCS seems to suggest so with them seeing it as the same team.

But regardless, it's clearly a completely different vibe to Africa's team.

not sure how PCS does it either, but the WT licence was defintely dropped and therefore should just disappear. The pro conti team was kept for 2022 AFAIK

[DieselnDust]

Q36.5 is a cycling apparel business bought by Ivan Glasenberg

Q = Quaerere or Latin for Research

36.5 is the core temp of the average human body 

 

there’s no link the Qhubeka anylonger except that Doug is participating as team manager

[Shebeen]

8 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Q36.5 is a cycling apparel business bought by Ivan Glasenberg

Q = Quaerere or Latin for Research

36.5 is the core temp of the average human body 

 

there’s no link the Qhubeka anylonger except that Doug is participating as team manager

So we can technically close down this thread then?

Doug has taken 2 riders across, (and one more to a 36.5 conti team)

 

[DieselnDust]

4 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

So we can technically close down this thread then?

Doug has taken 2 riders across, (and one more to a 36.5 conti team)

 

well it should be renamed at best….

[Shebeen]

3 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

well it should be renamed at best….

it still has the nexthash, for nostalgia's sake!

[Comrade J]

Just saw this now

 

[Comrade J]

As one of the great 7 cyclists to have won all 3 Grand Tours and a lifetime of experiences and insights we’re extremely proud to have Vincenzo on board as Q36.5 Brand Ambassador and Technical Advisor.

Connected through our Italian heritage and obsessive dedication to the sport, we’ve joined forces to push the limits of cycling performance clothing.

Watch Vincenzo talk about why he chose Q36.5 and what his new role will entail:
https://lnkd.in/d9zTm5RT