Serge Pauwels and Nicolas Dougall share a joke at the MTN-Qhubeka training camp. (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Local hero Sonzego Jim poses for photos. (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Steve Cummings joins MTN-Qhubeka from BMC. (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
There was a quick talk about the route before everything got going. (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Theo Bos with team pricipal Doug Ryder. (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Steve Cummings talks with a British fan. (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
A fan waits for the ride to begin. (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
One paracyclist mixed it with the pros on his custom tricycle. (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
There was some interesting equipment to be seen. (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN-Qhubeka). (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Algerian rider Youcef Reguigui ahead of the fan ride at the MTN-Qhubeka training camp. (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
MTN-Qhubeka marked the end of their week-long training camp in South Africa with a two-hour fan ride. A large number of fans made the journey to Stellenbosch for a chance to ride with their heroes and were given an opportunity to talk with them in a picnic afterwards. With the riders spending most of the year racing in Europe, it is a rare opportunity for the local fans to see them up close.
The short ride took the bunch around the rolling hillside of the Southern Cape, with the police ensuring that the riders had plenty of room on the roads. There was a wide variety of riders and although a few were dropped most were able to keep up with the 30kph average.
MTN-Qhubeka have been staying in the spectacular setting of the Spier Wine Hotel since last Sunday. Saturday marks the final day of activities, with most returning home on Sunday afternoon. The team will meet again in Majorca in January ahead of the new season, where they hope to make history by becoming the first African-registered team to ride the Tour de France.
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Born in Ireland to a cycling family and later moved to the Isle of Man, so there was no surprise when I got into the sport. Studied sports journalism at university before going on to do a Masters in sports broadcast. After university I spent three months interning at Eurosport, where I covered the Tour de France. In 2012 I started at Procycling Magazine, before becoming the deputy editor of Procycling Week. I then joined Cyclingnews, in December 2013.
