MTN-Qhubeka handed Paris-Roubaix wildcard

African team MTN-Qhubeka are among eight teams invited to this year's Paris-Roubaix, along with the likes of Bora-Argon 18 and UnitedHealthcare

Cyclists from MTN-Qhubeka on stage four of the 2015 Tour of Qatar
(Image credit: Watson)

MTN-Qhubeka headline the eight teams who have been handed wildcards to Paris-Roubaix, adding to their already impressive list of race invites.

The African outfit were awarded a place in this summer’s Tour de France in January, with Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Criterium du Dauphine all wanting them at their race.

MTN’s team is not short of Classics experience either, with Edvald Boasson Hagen, Tyler Farrar and Theo Bos likely to lead the line this spring.

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The team are joined in the race by a host of Paris-Roubaix veterans, including Cofidis, Bretagne – Seche Environnement, Europcar from France, Topsport Vlaanderen and Wanty-Groupe Gobert from Belgium and UnitedHealthcare from the USA.

>>> The Pro Continental fight for invites to the biggest races

MTN’s fellow Tour de France invitees, Bora – Argon 18 will also line up at the Hell of the North, having taken part in the race as NetApp-Endura in 2014.

Wanty-Groupe Gobert’s Bjorn Leukemans was the best-placed wildcard finisher in last year’s race, finishing 47s down on winner Niki Terpstra in 15th.

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Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.