Giro d’Italia #5: Sbaragli and Gibbons both in Top10

The Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka riders continue to put their mark on this year’s Giro d’Italia. In the bunch sprint on stage 5, both Kristian Sbaragli and Ryan Gibbons (photo) made it into Top10 once again.

With a flat finish in Messina and only 159 km to overcome, today’s stage was always going to be a matter for the sprinters. However, with an undulating start to the day, the teams of the fast riders also had to make sure they didn’t let too big of a group get away. Ultimately, only two riders managed to distance the peloton, which seemed content with situation.

The leading duo spent most of the day at the front with the pack always keeping break on a tight leash. As the riders took on the finishing circuit, it all came back together and the sprinters’ teams now made sure the day ended in the expected bunch sprint. Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka was in a good position with Sbaragli and Gibbons near the front. Gibbons started his sprint early in order to open up the way for his teammate and at the end, Sbaragli did well to finish sixth, while 22-year-old Gibbons impressed by holding on to seventh place to secure his third Top10 result in his first ever Grand Tour. Fernando Gaviria (Quick Step Floors) won the stage with his teammates Bob Jungels keeping the pink leader’s jersey. Daniel Teklehaimanot is still second in KOM competition, while Sbaragli now sits third in the points classification.

Ryan Gibbons:
“Today, only two guys went up the road so, normally, that would mean that the stage was quite easy. However, the pace was really on all day long and at the end, both the GC riders and the sprinters wanted to be up there at the front. It was definitely not an easy stage. My job today was to sit on Kristian’s [Sbaragli] wheel and then go as early as possible to open up the door for him. I did that but then, in the last 100 meters, I paid the price for that effort. Once again, we were good as a team, always up there, but still not quite where we want to be”.

Team Dimension Data For Qhubeka

Founded in 2007, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka became the first ever African cycling team to gain a WorldTour license, in 2016. In the team’s palmares you can find a Milan-Sanremo victory, numerous stage wins at the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, two Tour of Britain GC victories, and 36 National Championships. The team has bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. It’s also known as Africa’s Team due to its focus on helping African talents to the world stage of cycling. The team races to raise funds for the Qhubeka Charity to change lives with bicycles in Africa. #DoYourPart and gift a bicycle or part of a bicycle, by clicking here.

Qhubeka is an Nguni word that means “to progress”, “to move forward”. Qhubeka (qhubeka.org) partners with communities, public sector, private sector, and non-profit organisations to provide people with bicycles in return for working to improve their community, environment or school attendance. 

Dimension Data (dimensiondata.com) uses the power of technology to help organisations achieve great things in the digital era. As a member of the NTT Group, we accelerate our clients’ ambitions through digital infrastructure, hybrid cloud, workspaces for tomorrow, and cybersecurity. With a turnover of USD 7.5 billion, offices in 58 countries, and 31,000 employees, we deliver wherever our clients are, at every stage of their technology journey. We’re proud to be the Official Technology Partner of Amaury Sport Organisation, organiser of the Tour de France, and the title partner of the cycling team, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka.

Learn more about the team at www.africasteam.com. 

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