Team Type 1 to Tour of Morocco

While the NRC gets under way in the U.S. this week, Team Type 1 will send a contingent to line up for the team’s first international stage race of the season, the 23rd Tour of Morocco. The 10-day race begins in the Moroccan capital of Rabat and concludes in the West African nation’s largest city, Casablanca, on April 4th.

Team Type 1 will start six professional riders in Morocco: Mike Creed, Aldo Ino Ilesic, Chris Jones, Valeri Kobzarenko, Javier Megias Leal and Shawn Milne. New director Michael Carter will lead the team.

“I think that we’ve got the best team we could possibly have for this race,” said Carter of the squad he’s assembled for Morocco.

The peloton will roll over 1,510 kilometers in ten stages, including the190-kilometer stage 6, which is split between 120-kilometer and 70-kilometer sub-stages. The course follows Morocco’s mild topography, serving up mostly fourth category climbs, with stage 3 featuring second and third-category climbs.

Carter will look to Morocco as the first test for new-hire Megias, who joins the team from ProTour squad Fuji-Servetto. Carter also expects Milne, well known for putting his nose in the wind on some of the hardest days on the U.S. circuit, to make waves in Morocco, saying “he’s not a pure climber like Javier is, but he’s very good on the power stuff.”

Crafty finisher Ilesic will make a run at stage wins in the bunch gallops while Creed will no doubt find himself on the sharp end of racing at some point in the race.

Team Type 1’s mixture of tenacious breakaway artists and sprint specialists will set them up well to challenge for multiple stage wins. Carter is looking at the hilly stage seven as a highlight of the team’s tactics saying, “by then, we’ll know, who’s who, who’s strong, who’s been able to stay out of trouble and who’s had the best fortune.”

FILED UNDER: News / Road TAGS: Team Type 1 / Tour of Morocco

Brian Holcombe

Brian Holcombe is the managing editor of Velo Magazine. Holcombe joined VeloNews in 2009 following years spent introducing students to whitewater kayaking and working in avalanche control, among other more risky ventures. His graduate work in communications at the University of Denver focuses on innovation and digital media management. Holcombe is a CSU Ram fan and proud parent and has been accused of attacking too much on the VN lunch ride. Follow him on Twitter @FCBrian.

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