Kwazulu Natal cycling collective Team Abantu will be led by HB Kruger and Morne van Niekerk in its first ever quest for a General Classification victory in a premier cycling tour in South Africa at the Tour de Boland next week.
Kruger recently returned from the UCI 2.1 La Tropical Amissa Bongo, an eight-stage tour in Gabon where he finished 16th overall after finishing fifth at the recent SA Road Championships.
“I’m looking forward to riding alongside the talented young Morne who has shown allot of promise the past couple of months and am feeling positive that the team can produce a good GC result,” said Kruger.
Nineteen year old Van Niekerk blitzed the U23 field at recent SA Time Trial Championships to take gold and finished in the top 4 of the Elite category.
“It will be a tough field with a lot of international competition, but I think we have one of the strongest teams and I am very confident that myself and HB will receive great support on the road from the team,” said Van Niekerk.
The rest of the team includes team captain and sprint sensation Nolan Hoffman who is currently South Africa’s most prolific race winner, Reynard Butler, James Perry and David Maree.
“I believe that Morne and HB are tour winners and I want to give them that chance. The rest of the team is strong and looking forward to this challenge,” said Team Abantu manager Dean Edwards.
