Nizzolo sprints to 3rd in chaotic stage 2 of Etoile de Besseges

The European and Italian champion hit the front early on the uphill drag to the finish for Team Qhubeka ASSOS (www.TeamQhubeka.com) as a result of a slew of crashes, before being beaten on the line by Timothy Dupont (Bingoal - Wallonie Bruxelles) and Pierre Barbier (Delko).

This result follows on from Nizzolo finishing fourth on the opening stage of the race and now sees him 6th on the general classification.

Ahead of the start of the second stage Andreas Stokbro was ruled out as he was still suffering from the crash he went down on in stage one.

Giacomo Nizzolo I feel okay, obviously I'd like to win but I think perhaps we actually ended up doing the roundabout a bit too fast and then were at the front for too long and I had to start the sprint early.

It was a long way to the line, especially as it was going slowly uphill but third place is not too bad and I think we can be confident for tomorrow.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka ASSOS.

Media Contact: Jean Smyth (Head of Communications) Email: jean@ryder.co.za Mobile: +27 63 4701 1710 or +31 625 739 033

About Team Qhubeka ASSOS: Team Qhubeka ASSOS (www.TeamQhubeka.com) is a purpose-led, high-performance team, fighting to win on the world's biggest stage, to inspire hope and create opportunity. Founded in 2007, Team Qhubeka ASSOS (formerly NTT Pro Cycling) became the first-ever African cycling team to gain a UCI WorldTour license, in 2016.

We achieved our first major win in 2013 when Gerald Ciolek won Milan-San Remo, one of the five Monuments of cycling. We have competed in six Tour de France’s and notched up 7 stage wins, with Mark Cavendish wearing the coveted Yellow Jersey at the 2016 Tour de France.

We are a multicultural, diverse team with bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. There are 19 nationalities represented across our World Tour and continental feeder team rosters. Our focus on developing African cycling has resulted in more than 55 riders from the African continent be given the opportunity to race on the world stage, since the team's inception.

We race to help people to move forward with bicycles through our relationship with Qhubeka Charity. Through our work with Qhubeka, we have contributed to the distribution of over 30 000 bicycles in communities in South Africa.

About Qhubeka: Qhubeka (www.Qhubeka.org) is a charity that moves people forward with bicycles. People earn bicycles through our programmes, improving their access to schools, clinics and jobs.

A bicycle is a tool that helps people to travel faster and further, and to carry more. In the face of extreme and persistent poverty, bicycles can change lives by helping to address socioeconomic challenges at the most basic level – helping people to get where they need to go. 

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