Myles van Musschenbroek will be part of a more experienced outfit than last year as they seek to repeat their success at the Tour de Maurice that starts in Mauritius on Monday.
“This year we are going to the event with a team that has much more depth,” said Van Musschenbroek, who was the highest placed South African after finishing fourth overall last year.
The ProTouch team achieved other goals by securing the green and white jerseys when the six-day event concluded.
“We can go into the race this time having a few more options in terms of general classification riders,” he said.
ProTouch’s Myles van Musschenbroek will aim to repeat his team’s success from last year when the Tour de Maurice starts in Mauritius on Monday. Photo: Photo: Daphney Dupré
Van Musschenbroek will be joined by Gustav Basson, Reynard Butler, James Fourie and Jayde Julius.
“All our guys have done a stint of racing outside of the country during the winter this year so we should all be on a high level.”
Van Musschenbroek felt that any international exposure a local rider could get gave them an advantage when racing back home.
“When we’re in SA we get used to one style and we always race against the same competition.
“Racing internationally does change a rider’s perspective and it definitely raises an athlete’s level.”
He added that it was difficult to say what each one’s role would be at this stage, but whoever landed up in the best position would be the one the rest of the team would support.
“Whoever it is, we need a ProTouch rider to win.”
The event will have a similar structure to last year with a prologue, individual time-trial and five road stages. However, the routes have been changed slightly.
Last year Van Musschenbroek won stage two from a breakaway and was second in stage six, which were the days he felt best suited him.
“Short, hard and punchy climbs that are not longer than three to five kilometres and roads with rolling terrain suit me best. I will always look for an opportunity to get away from the peloton in a small group and win from there,” he said.
“I don’t win races often, so when I do it means so much to me.”
He felt their stiffest competition would come from the local Mauritians.
“They know the routes before anyone else and train on them every day leading up to the event. The only way we can beat them is by sticking together as a unit and riding as a team committed to one common goal.”
The 25-year-old said he suffered from the flu at the recent Tour du Rwanda, which took his form a few steps backwards.
“My form has been getting better since then but I do feel I was in better condition going into last year’s event,” said Van Musschenbroek.
“Having competed I know what to expect, which is always an advantage, but I was in a much better head space and that contributed to my success.”
Earlier this year the Johannesburg-based team announced they would register a Continental team in 2019, and Van Musschenbroek said this would sometimes make them feel they were in the spotlight and under more pressure to succeed.
“We want to get the results we need to prove ourselves. Being exposed to more international races we are still learning and building the foundation to develop ourselves and the team.
“We’re always looking to go from strength to strength and improve.”
He said he would always head into a race intending to give it his best.
“If that means personally winning or helping out in the overall success of the team, then that’s the way it works out.”
