Team Dimension Data have selected five South African riders to compete in the one-day Scheldeprijs in Antwerp, Belgium, tomorrow.
They are Ryan Gibbons, Jay Thomson, Nic Dougall, Jaco Venter and Johann van Zyl. Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen and Belgian Julien Vermote will complete the team.
Team DiData will rely mostly on Ryan Gibbons, pictured here, to represent the team in the final sprint of the Scheldeprijs in Antwerp, Belgium, tomorrow. Photo: Stiehl Photography
The 200km midweek classic follows a relatively flat route with just 1.7km of cobbled road on the three finishing circuits. However, crosswinds can be expected in the windy region of Zeeland, the westernmost part of the Netherlands.
DiData will be relying on Gibbons to represent the team in the final part of the race, team sport director JP Heynderickx said.
“It is important that we survive the first battle in the echelons tomorrow,” Heynderickx said. “We then hope Ryan is still there to go for the sprint in Schoten.”
Heynderickx expects the race’s route-change – the 125km Zeeland section – to be decisive on the day. “Instead of the old parcours [route], we now race for a big part in Holland.
“That particular area is well known for the echelons and we expect wind tomorrow as well.”
In the last three editions of the race DiData has had a rider finish in the top 10, with Briton Mark Cavendish’s second place in 2016 being their best achievement.
