Meet the Finalists of Team Dimension Data | Zwift Academy 2018

We are pleased to announce the 3 Finalists of the Team Dimension Data Zwift Academy!

These young men will join Team Dimension Data at their training camp in Cape Town, South Africa in mid-November to compete for a U23 professional contract for the 2019 season!

Martin discovered bike racing when he was 8 and hasn’t looked back. A big fan of Richie Porte, Martin loves long, steady climbs. And when the going gets tough, he looks inward to find another match or two to burn.

As a young athlete, Alex played tennis, cricket, and basketball before committing to cycling at 14, competing as a mountain biker until he switched to road at 16. The Kiwi loves Zwift because he can interact with riders from all over the globe. He hopes to become a full-time cyclist and ride in the World Tour.

This 20-year old Brit started his athletic career in the pool, swimming at a national level before switching to cycling at 14. He loves Zwift for rainy day sessions and the community — it’s led to IRL friendships. A strong sprinter and time trialist, he can sustain 985 watts for 30 seconds.  

 

Congrats to all the Semi-Finalists

We are pleased to announce the 10 Semi-Finalists of the Team Dimension Data | Zwift Academy! These men finished with strong all-around performances in the Qualifying Stage. Congrats, guys: you worked hard for this!

They’re one step closer to the Grand Prize: a U23 pro contract with Team Dimension Data’s Continental Squad for 2019. These 10 contenders are from all over the world.

Our partners are awarding each Semi-Finalist an Elite Direto smart trainer, Team Dimension Data Kit, and Solestar KONTROL cycling insoles to power them through the next round.

Semi-Finals take place from October 15th – 28th. The competitors will complete 4 additional Zwift workouts and 3 outdoor rides.

After the semis, 3 finalists will head to Team Dimension Data’s training camp in Cape Town.

Congratulations to all participants! Thanks to your combined efforts,  326 bikes were donated to  Qhubeka and South Africa. Let’s meet the semi-finalists.

Patrick speaks English, French, and Dutch, so the Brit is ready for the Euro circuit! The former mountain bike racer (XC and enduro) started racing in 2013. He dreams of racing a one-day classic like the Amstel Gold Race or the Tour of Flanders one day.

Bradley is all about fast twitch muscle — he loves “uphill drags to the finish” as well as “fast finishes.” No surprise that his fave pro and lifelong role model is Mark Cavendish. The South African native appreciates Zwift training because “there are no external stimulants to disrupt your effort.”

Raw talent defines this young Kiwi — he’s never followed a structured training plan. Admitting to “having a slightly masochistic personality,” he loves digging deep and finding a way to go harder than he has in the past. The aggressive rider is looking forward to testing his skills as a bike racer.

Last year, Byron Munton was the youngest Team Dimension Data Zwift Academy semi-finalist. The South African says he’s “grown immensely” in the last 12 months, like learning when to say no to a race to recover properly after an illness. His goal?  “I want to be a part of the next generation of African athletes on the World Tour.”

A big fan of Chris Froome, Hernan’s goals include becoming a domestic pro in his home country of Uruguay before graduating to a team that races internationally. Hernan loves climbing and time trialing and he dedicates every day to moving closer to his goals.

This 20-year-old from Belgium started his competitive life as a basketball player, but started racing in 2013. He hasn’t looked back. Mathieu dreams of being a professional cyclist and looks up to Rafal Majka “because he’s a climber and races on the offensive…qualities I like to develop.”

Oliver Young started his athletic career as a swimmer, nabbing a few top 10 finishes at nationals before getting into competitive cycling. The post-graduate student also coaches cyclists and hopes to compete in the World Tour.

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