Jaap van Hulten, Head of Community at Team Jumbo-Visma Academy, is looking forward to working with the team’s first partner association. “Together with this association we try to realise ambitions that fit our vision. We have been working with TWC Maaslandster Zuid-Limburg to help them achieve their goals for a number of months now. These goals are also in line with Team Jumbo-Visma Academy’s goals, such as getting more young people on the bike, more trainers with training diplomas and strengthening the structure around the youth categories.

“We call the strategy that we apply in collaboration with the association the Team Jumbo-Visma Koers”, Van Hulten explains. “Within this strategy there are three different gradations. For an association it is possible to obtain a white jersey, a polka dot jersey or a yellow jersey. This partnership gives the association the opportunity to get closer to Team Jumbo-Visma and on the other hand we get closer to the association. The Team Jumbo-Visma Koers is in principle intended for all Dutch cycling associations. Any association can apply to be considered for a white jersey partnership. Starting from the white jersey they can eventually grow into a polka dot jersey or even the yellow jersey. I hope this news is an incentive for associations to register, so that together we can see what is possible.”

Stan Bertram, team manager of TWC Maaslandster Zuid-Limburg, thinks that the partnership will give the cycling club a huge boost. “This collaboration shows that we are making progress as a club. That is a good signal to our members. It is great for them to see that in this way we receive recognition from Team Jumbo-Visma through the polka dot jersey. This means that we are on the right track and that we are developing the association. Hopefully we can continue that development.”