Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.

The reigning European and Italian champion Giacomo Nizzolo will spearhead Team Qhubeka ASSOS' (www.TeamQhubeka.com) hopes at Milan-Sanremo on Saturday.

For Africa's WorldTour team this race is particularly poignant with Gerald Ciolek's 2013 victory, in epic conditions, catapulting the team onto the global stage.

Nizzolo finished an excellent fifth at La Classicissima (sic) in 2020 and will be hoping for a repeat of a similar level of performance this Saturday, on a day of racing that will cover 299km.

A big thank you to Janice Mueller and her son Luke for announcing our Milan Sanremo lineup, with their unique video (https://bit.ly/3vFzobt).

Milan-Sanremo lineup [squad numbers]:
Giacomo Nizzolo [33]
Victor Campenaerts [55]
Simon Clarke [09]
Michael Gogl [07]
Bert-Jan Lindeman [02]
Emil Vinjebo [34]
Lukasz Wisniowski [99]

Giacomo Nizzolo

Preparation for Sanremo this year has been good but it hasn't been perfect because I had a few issues a month ago so that for sure could have made things a bit better. Besides that I feel like I'm improving, getting better and I feel a step higher than two weeks ago, so I'm confident.

Last year's race was special because of being in August but also for me personally it was the first time I started in Milan with good, actually perfect, condition. In some of the previous years I'd always had some problems but last year I can say that I was well set for Sanremo and I felt very good in that period. It was also nice for myself that I proved that I could be there playing for a good result, when I'm in shape.

The goal or dream is of course always to win. Realistically if the race takes a good turn for the sprinters then I believe that I can be there to play for a good result, and in a sprint you never know what can happen. But the first thing is to feel good all day long and be there when the race is decided, and hopefully I can sprint in the front group.

I'm super-proud to wear the European and Italian champion jersey. For me it's an extra motivation of course and I also feel an additional responsibility. It gives me a “nice” pressure to perform to my absolute maximum. So I think it's going to be an incredible feeling to start Milan-Sanremo in this jersey.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka ASSOS.

Media Contact:
Jean Smyth (Head of Communications)
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +27 63 4701 1710 or +31 625 739 033

About Team Qhubeka ASSOS:
Team Qhubeka ASSOS (TeamQhubeka.com) is a purpose-led, high-performance team, fighting to win on the world's biggest stage, to inspire hope and create opportunity. Founded in 2007, Team Qhubeka ASSOS (formerly NTT Pro Cycling) became the first-ever African cycling team to gain a UCI WorldTour license, in 2016.

We achieved our first major win in 2013 when Gerald Ciolek won Milan-San Remo, one of the five Monuments of cycling. We have competed in six Tour de France’s and notched up 7 stage wins, with Mark Cavendish wearing the coveted Yellow Jersey at the 2016 Tour de France.

We are a multicultural, diverse team with bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. There are 19 nationalities represented across our World Tour and continental feeder team rosters. Our focus on developing African cycling has resulted in more than 55 riders from the African continent be given the opportunity to race on the world stage, since the team's inception.

We race to help people to move forward with bicycles through our relationship with Qhubeka Charity. Through our work with Qhubeka, we have contributed to the distribution of over 30 000 bicycles in communities in South Africa.

About Qhubeka:
Qhubeka (Qhubeka.org) is a charity that moves people forward with bicycles. People earn bicycles through our programmes, improving their access to schools, clinics and jobs.

A bicycle is a tool that helps people to travel faster and further, and to carry more. In the face of extreme and persistent poverty, bicycles can change lives by helping to address socioeconomic challenges at the most basic level – helping people to get where they need to go. 

All images attached to the press release can be used with the respective image credit in combination to this release.

Media files