L’ex professionista Lars Michaelsen assumerà il ruolo di Head Sports Director del Team NTT a partire dal 1° gennaio 2020. Il danese, 50 anni, ha corso tra i professionisti per 14 anni conquistando 25 vittorie con squadre con le maglie di CSC, TVM, Team Coast e Française des Jeux.

A fine carriera ha iniziato a lavorare come direttore sportivo con CSC, Leopard Trek, RadioShack, Saxo Bank, Team Tinkoff e ora alla Astana Pro Team. «Nel corso degli anni ho seguito con attenzione il team di Douglas Ryder e la sua crescita nel WorldTour. Credo che questo cammino di crescita possa continuare ancora e sono felice di assumere questo ruolo» spiega Michaelsen.

ENGLISH VERSION

We are delighted to announce that the highly experienced Lars Michaelsen joins us in the capacity of Head Sports Director from 1 January 2020, as we rebrand to Team NTT.

The Dane, 50, raced professionally for 14 years securing 25 victories with teams including the likes of CSC, TVM, Team Coast and Française des Jeux. Career highlights include victory at Gent-Wevelgem in 1995 as well as a stage victory at the Vuelta a España in 1997. That win on the opening stage saw him wear the leader’s jersey for four stages.

At Paris-Roubaix in 2005 he finished an impressive fifth, as he did in 2002, while he also rode in successful  support of teammates Fabian Cancellara and Stuart O’Grady, who won the race in 2006 and 2007 respectively. He also competed in four consecutive Olympic Games (1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004), representing Denmark.

He’s equally experienced off the bike too where as a Sports Director he has spent 11 years highly successful years at WorldTour level working for the likes of CSC, Leopard Trek, RadioShack, Saxo Bank, Team Tinkoff and his current outfit the Astana Pro Team.

Lars Michaelsen (Head Sports Director):
Over the years I have keenly followed Douglas Ryder’s team and the various stages of development that it’s undergone as it’s established itself in the WorldTour.

I truly believe this journey is set to continue and so I’m delighted to take this role in that progression, and be a part in the continued development of the team into the future.

Douglas Ryder (Team Principal):
I’m really pleased that Lars is coming on board as we take the next step of our journey as Team NTT in 2020. His breadth of experience both as a rider and also as a sports director, at the highest level, will see him play a crucial role in what we hope to achieve next year, and we look forward to seeing what sort of impact he will have on our group.

His experience with working with some of the top riders in the world will be invaluable and I look forward to him making his own mark, while at the same time building on the strong foundation that we already have in place.

Team Dimension Data For Qhubeka

Founded in 2007, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka became the first ever African cycling team to gain a WorldTour license, in 2016. The team has bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. It’s also known as Africa’s Team due to its focus on helping African talents to the world stage of cycling. 

Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka races for something bigger than wins. Through our relationship with Qhubeka, a global charity operating in South Africa, we raise awareness for #BicyclesChangeLives.

Qhubeka gives people a helping hand up by providing them with bicycles through its learn-to-earn and work-to-earn programmes. That’s what the hand on our team race jersey stands for. It’s a reminder that every Qhubeka bicycle is a helping hand to a Qhubeka beneficiary.

By supporting #BicyclesChangeLives you can help children to access education and help support skills development and job creation in South Africa.

Learn more about the team at www.africasteam.com. 

Qhubeka

Qhubeka 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. 

About NTT Ltd.

NTT Ltd. is a leading global technology services company bringing together 28 brands including NTT Communications, Dimension Data and NTT Security. We partner with organizations around the world to shape and achieve outcomes through intelligent technology solutions. For us, intelligent means data driven, connected, digital, and secure. As a global ICT provider, we employ more than 40,000 people in a diverse and dynamic workplace that spans 57 countries and regions, trading in 73 countries and regions and delivering services in over 200 countries and regions. Together we enable the connected future. Visit us at our new website hello.global.ntt