Nicholas Dlamini has joined the lineup for the Tour de France, making him the first Black South African in history to do so.
Team Qhubeka ASSOS, Africa’s UCI WorldTour team, will make its seventh appearance at the Tour de France. The team first competed in 2015 (and has since won seven stages.
“Being selected to ride in my first ever Tour de France is an absolute dream come true for me,” Dlamini told reporters..
“It’s always been my childhood dream, and now that I am about to live it, it makes it feel very unreal. It speaks to what the team is about, the Ubuntu spirit (I am because we are), and how we change people’s lives because it is a historical moment for me, for South Africa. To come from a small township and then to go to the Tour de France.”
The 25-year-old grew up in an informal settlement in Cape Town is now one of the world’s leading road cyclist. “I hope this will serve as a reference of hope to many young South Africans that have been working hard to reach their dreams. Anything is possible,” he said.
Team principal Doug Ryder is proud to have Dlamini join the squad:
“Nic’s continued development is something that we are very proud of,” Ryder said. “He’s someone that we’ve supported ever since he first dreamed of becoming a professional rider. To come through our Continental team, and then to establish himself at WorldTour level, speaks to exactly what we are as an organization.”
