Team Di Data flat out to make their mark
● When you dream in terrabytes, decisions hard baked in harsh reality become the order of the day.
Team Dimension Data demonstrated that when they announced their team for this year’s Tour de France, which didn’t feature climbing specialist Louis Meintjes.
By his own admission, Meintjes underwhelmed in the Giro d’Italia.
“I have to think about the ‘what ifs’,” said Meintjes. “The Giro was disappointing. Things didn’t go according to plan. That’s due to a bunch of factors.”
Team manager Doug Ryder explained the now eight-man team was assembled with the objective of assisting the tour’s most decorated sprinter, Mark Cavendish, to more stage wins. “This is the best team for the course,” said Ryder.
We’ll have to be opportunistic in the Alps
Doug Ryder
Team manager, Team Dimension Data
“This team is built on a dream, to take Mark to the most number of stage wins. There are eight flat sprints in the 21 days. We’ll have to be opportunistic in the Alps,” said Ryder, factoring in the absence of Meintjes’ climbing prowess.
Meintjes believes Chris Froome is still the man to catch; if not catch out, as some may suggest. “Froome would be one of the top picks. He’s one of the few top contenders. It is not often you are going to get someone from the Giro who goes on and performs well. But he wouldn’t have taken up the challenge if he didn’t believe he can do it.”
Team Dimension Data’s long-term objective is to deliver an African winner to the Champs Elysees in 2020. It is an ambitious undertaking but as Ryder kept emphasising, the team is built on a dream.
The team is: Mark Cavendish, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Mark Renshaw, Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg, Julien Vermote, TomJelte Slagter, Serge Pauwels, Jay Thomson.