Louis Meintjes signing for Team Lampre-Merida?
Unthinkable for many, which is understandable given the euphoria surrounding the young South African rider's results with Team MTN-Qhubeka.
A consistent fixture at the front of the peloton when the road veers upwards, Meintjes' development and evolution as a rider has certainly come to the fore in the 2015 Vuelta a Espana. His climbing prowess has been complemented by increased staying power over three weeks, which indicates his potential as South Africa's first true Grand Tour contender of the future.
Given that Meintjes' development as been almost entirely as part of "Africa's team," many are aghast at his move to the Italian squad. National sporting sentiment runs high on the southern tip of Africa and the fact that this patriotism is now filtering into cycling has been a long time coming. Then again, cycling is a complex sport and often difficult to understand and, while the Pretoria-born rider's move may seem strange to most, a closer look could reveal some clues.
South Africa and Lampre
A little known fact is that Lampre-Merida has long had South African connections. In 1999, a young "neo-pro" from Joberg was in a day long breakaway at the Milan-San Remo. Resplendent in the pink jersey of this evergreen "squadra," Robert Hunter raised eyebrows by winning a stage at the Vuelta later that year. Now a directeur sportif with Cannondale-Garmin, Hunter spent three seasons with what was then Lampre-Daikin before moving on to pastures anew.
Fast forward to 2015 and the Italian squad retains a South African connection, for many years in fact. Brent Copeland serves as the team manager and has worked with the team in this capacity for almost a decade. Granted he spent a season or two outside of Italy (incidentally with MTN-Qhubeka and also in professional motocross in the USA), Copeland hails from Johannesburg and has been immersed in Italian cycling since his time as a promising amateur rider in the 1990s.
Career development
Meintjes ascent through the ranks has been impressive. After stints with a couple of Belgian amateur squads, his initial development culminated in an excellent second place at the 2013 World Under 23 Road Race Championships. Gradual exposure to the top level races in Europe over the past two seasons have indicated an innate capacity for week long and now three week tours, cementing him as a key asset in Team MTN-Qhubeka securing invitations to World Tour events.
A recent column suggested his move to Lampre as a sideways one. While that observation is certainly a pertinent one, it is worth noting that the Italian squad has World Tour status, effectively a member of cycling's premiere league. Sure, it lacks "big names" but perhaps this environment together with guaranteed starts at all major events is what Meintjes requires to further his ascending development.
Whatever the case or the outcome, it is perhaps important to remember that signing a two year contract with a World Tour squad does not just happen overnight. Deals like these are carefully negotiated and thought out over a lengthy time period, with initial contact often being made many months before actual announcement. Sure, there are exceptions but Meintjes more than likely has been courted by Lampre for quite some time.
And given the wily Copeland's direct involvement in the team, as well as his long experience managing at World Tour level, this move might be the catalyst to even greater results from the diminutive climber from Pretoria.
