Couveca Assos continues to build its roster for 2021, and on Monday announced two additions to the South African WorldTour team. Experienced Belgian Sander Alme joins from Lotto Soudal, while 21-year-old Mauro Schmid joins from the UCI Continental-level Leopard Pro Cycling team.

Arme is a former teammate of Victor Kampenaerts, now with NTT Pro Cycling, which will become Qhubeka Assos next season after the loss of NTT's main sponsor.The 34-year-old won a stage at the 2017 Vuelta a España, this year's He joins following seven seasons with Lotto-Soudal, where he won a stage at the Tour Poitou-Charentes.

"I want to use my experience and do my best to achieve all the team's goals next year," Arme said in a press release Monday.

"I'm very excited to be joining the team because I was on the same team with Victor Kampenaerts for two years and we lived in the same village for many years.

"I've had some personal success in the past, but that's not going to stop me from going even further. With the passion, knowledge, equipment, and racing spirit of Team Cubeca Asos, I want to make this happen."

Gino van Oudenhove, sport director of Cubeca Assos, added: "I have been racing in the overall class for most of my career. He is a very seasoned professional who has spent most of his career working with the overall class and sees himself as a perfect fit around Domenico Pozzovivo, Sergio Henao, and Fabio Aru.

"On top of that, Sander can also finish himself off when the opportunity presents itself, as he did this year with his stage win in Poitou-Charentes.

According to a press release, Mauro Schmid describes himself as a "punchy all-rounder" and won the under-23 road race title at the 2019 Swiss National Championships, as well as 11th overall at the Tour de Luxembourg and 18th overall at the Czech Tour this season in the Tour de Luxembourg and 18th overall in the Tour of the Czech Republic.

"This is absolutely a dream come true for me, as it has been since I started racing bicycles about 10 years ago," Schmid said of his step up to the World Tour level with Qhubeka Assos. I look forward to helping my teammates achieve the goals that the team has set for me"

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"I am also very proud to represent the Qhubeka charity, which has a huge impact on people's lives. I can't wait to learn more and meet the people involved in person so I can maximize my biking talents and raise awareness of such a great organization."

Van Oudenhoff said of Schmidt: "As a team, we are always on the lookout for young, talented, and interesting riders who would fit in at either the Continental Team or World Tour level."

Schmidt said, "I am very excited to be a part of this team.

"Mauro is a talent that has caught the attention of many WorldTour teams who are well aware of the excellent work of the Swiss Cycling Academy. So we are honored to welcome him to the team, watch him develop, and support him in his next steps to becoming a worthy WorldTour rider."

The team also reported that there are currently 25 riders confirmed, with two more openings on the 2021 World Tour team roster.