Tour de France: 3 South Africans among La Grande Boucle peloton

This year’s Tour de France will feature no fewer than THREE South Africans among the 184-rider peloton.

READ | DUTCH CYCLIST KOEN DE KORT HAS THREE FINGERS AMPUTATED AFTER HORROR CRASH

In addition, among the 23 teams competing will be South Africa-registered UCI WorldTour team Qhubeka-Assos.

The 21-day race’s Grand Depart will take place in France’s fortified port of Brest on Saturday, 26 June and will conclude 3 414km later on the Champs-Élysées in Paris on Sunday, 18 July.

While there are a number of household names to look out for, South African cycling enthusiasts with be paying close attention to three men in particular, all riding for different teams.

Nicholas Dlamini will make history when he becomes the first black South African to take to the start line in the colours of Qhubeka-Assos.

The 25-year-old Capetonian has come through the ranks and deservedly earns his place on merit.

“Being selected to ride in my first Tour de France is an absolute dream come true for me,” said Dlamini, who turned pro three years ago.

Dlamini has twice competed in La Vuelta and will also represent Team South Africa at the Tokyo Olympics next month.

READ | SA’S NIC DLAMINI MAKES TOUR DE FRANCE HISTORY

Stefan de Bod has been selected in his Kazakhstan Astana-Premier Tech team’s eight-man line-up for the 108th edition of the famed race.

The 24-year-old Worcester-born De Bod will be taking part in his first ever Tour de France.

He is a three-time South African Under-23 ITT champion and a two-time national Under-23 road title winner.

Speaking after his selection, De Bod said: “I am grateful for the opportunity to make my debut at the Le Tour together with a strong and experienced squad and I will give my best to pay back their confidence in me. This race is the dream of every cyclist and I will enjoy every day of racing.”

READ | STEFAN DE BOD NAMED IN ASTANA-PREMIER TECH LINE-UP

The South African trio is rounded off by the most experienced of the three, Louis Meintjes.

The 29-year-old Pretoria-born star has been selected to spearhead his Belgium-registered Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert Materieux team.

This year’s race will be the fourth for Meintjes with his best results to date – a pair of eighth-place overall finishes – in both 2016 and 2017.

In his first race in 2015 he did not finish.

Meintjes represented South Africa at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro where he finished a creditable seventh in the road race.

READ | LOUIS MEINTJES NAMED IN BELGIUM TEAM’S TOUR DE FRANCE LINE-UP

The South African website wishes Nic, Stefan and Louis – as well as Qhubeka-Assos – all the very best of luck at this year’s Tour de France!