Louis Meintjes was a late inclusion in the Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert Materiaux line-up for the 2021 UAE Tour. Photo: Photo News Twitter
South Africa’s Louis Meintjes was a late inclusion in the Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert Materiaux line-up for the UAE Tour which got under way on Sunday.
Not named in the WorldTour team’s provisional seven-rider squad, Meintjes was an 11th-hour replacement for France’s Theo Delacroix.
Meintjes, who celebrated his 29th birthday on the opening day of the year’s first UCI WorldTour event, previously rode for the Dimension Data and Lampre teams before signing a one-year contract last November for his new French-Belgian outfit.
In Sunday’s opening UAE Tour stage over 176km from Al Ruwais to Al Mirfa, Meintjes was caught out by the crosswinds which split the peloton.
He eventually finished in 61st place, 8:39 behind winner Mathieu van der Poel.
Meintjes will start Monday’s 13.1km individual time-time at 12:19 SA time.
