Gibbons started the year with a bang, claiming time trial and road race honours at the national champs in February. Since then he's raced a handful of events in Europe, including Paris-Nice and Milan-San Remo.
His flying start to the season has been somewhat curtailed due to illness, but Lidl-Trek intends to utilise the power of the South African speedster in a few races that might sound familiar. "The team plan," says Gibbons in between travels, "is for me to do the Critérium du Dauphiné, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, all as Mads Pedersen's lead-out man." Despite the untimely intervention of health issues on his season, Gibbons is well supported by the team and looking forward to a strong second half of the year.
"My experience with Lidl-Trek has been amazing. The team is very professional and ambitious, and they always have the riders' best interests at heart," he says.
What are the team's ambitions for the rest of the year?
Lidl-Trek is striving to be in the top three of the World Tour rankings by the end of the year - and to achieve 40 professional victories. We currently have the third-most victories for the season, and we've been very successful in the biggest races.
You started the year brilliantly, claiming national TT and road race honours. Was it your aim to win both?
It's not often I get to race nationals, but the team kindly gave me the opportunity this year. The goal was pretty clear - I'm not sure they would have let me miss other races if they didn't think I could collect both titles! I'm grateful that I could repay their belief in me.
What's it like racing locally after you've been competing overseas?
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July/August 2024-Ausgabe von Bicycling South Africa.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July/August 2024-Ausgabe von Bicycling South Africa.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
GEAR FOR THE AGES
Some bicycle components, tools and accessories - by design, luck or a bit of both - become icons of performance, reliability and permanence in cycling.
A RACE LIKE NO OTHER
IN KENYA'S MAASAI MARA, KNOWN MORE FOR SAFARIS THAN CYCLING, THE MIGRATION GRAVEL RACE CHALLENGES RIDERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THE WORLD WHILE FORGING A FUTURE FOR BIKE RACING IN AFRICA.
WAR ON WHEELS
IF YOU GO FOR A RIDE IN CAPE TOWN AT THE WRONG TIME, YOU COULD FIND YOURSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF A CYCLING GANG WAR, WHERE THE WEAPONS OF CHOICE ARE STRAVA RECORDS AND SALTY COMMENTS ON INSTAGRAM. THIS IS THE TALE OF THREE RIVAL ROADIE CREWS AND A REMINDER THAT CYCLING IS A SPORT BEST TAKEN WITH A SENSE OF HUMOUR.
GET TOUR DE FRANCE FAST IN FOUR WEEKS
HAVE YOU GOT TOUR FEVER? If you have a good fitness base, let the pros inspire you to take your riding to the next level.
THE SECRET TO MAKING A COMEBACK? JUST START
\"THIS IS WHAT DECONDITIONING LOOKS LIKE,\" I said out loud to no one, as I looked at the heart-rate reading on my phone and gasped for breath. \"This shouldn't be so hard.\"
DEAR MARK CAVENDISH
WHEN I FIRST STARTED FOLLOWING professional road cycling around 2014, you were at the top of your game.
HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR POWER-TOWEIGHT RATIO
POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO IS one of the most telling metrics in cycling - and thanks to indoor trainers, many more cyclists are now familiar with it. Right now it's never been easier to calculate your power-to-weight ratio and use it to improve your performance.
EASY RIDER
A FEW YEARS AGO, my wife and I along with her parents, brother and his wife-cycled down the Danube River in Europe.
LEADING THE WAY - RYAN GIBBONS, 29, SA PRO RIDER, MULTIPLE SA & AFRICAN ROAD CHAMP
AFTER JOINING LIDLTREK from UAE Team Emirates, South African national champ Ryan Gibbons aims to be the best lead-out man he can be - while also helping his new team in their quest to climb the World Tour rankings.
6 WAYS TO BEAT THE HEAT THIS SUMMER
TOP TIPS TO KEEP YOU COOLER AND RIDING STRONGER... NO MATTER WHAT THE TEMPERATURE.
