Team Jumbo-Visma lowers threshold to cycling with new race concept Ready2Race
Team Jumbo-Visma is launching the new competition concept Ready2Race in collaboration with the Royal Dutch Cycling Union. Ready2Race is a new cycling platform which makes it possible for anyone interested in cycling to take part in races at their own level.
To be able to count on future Dutch cycling success as well, Team Jumbo-Visma is already working to create more recruitment for cycling thanks to the activities and initiatives that fall under their Academy. With Ready2Race, another initiative is being added to the Academy’s umbrella.
Ready2Race offers accessible races for both young and old. Everyone can participate at his or her own level through different classes within the age categories. This makes it possible for everyone to get to know competitive sport in a fun way. In this way, Team Jumbo-Visma is trying to increase the pool of competitive athletes in cycling. Ready2Race offers all information and peripheral issues on a single platform. This includes race information, registration and payments. In a later phase, the possibility of renting equipment will be added. In this way, Ready2Race ensures simplicity and familiarity for the participants.
Richard Plugge, general manager of Team Jumbo-Visma, wants to use this initiative to give cyclists a taste of competitive sport. “We start this initiative to ensure more exercise and vitality, but we also certainly hope that cycling talents will emerge thanks to Ready2Race. Ready2Race makes it more accessible to take part in a cycling race. We hope that this will continue to generate new people for cycling, so that we can continue to put Dutch cycling on the map. We saw that there was a gap between people getting on a bike for the first time and riding an official race. The level of the races is often too high for the beginners. We wanted to fill that gap. People who like it and ride well will automatically make the step to the races of the Royal Dutch Cycling Union. However, getting to know competitive sport is the most important thing.”
Royal Dutch Cycling Union director Thorwald Veneberg is pleased with the arrival of this new competition initiative. “We see that the amateur and competitive sports are increasingly blending together. It is very important to have races with a low entry level. We want to keep the pond of cyclists in the Netherlands large and Ready2Race can contribute to that.”
Arjan de Vries, director of the NTFU cycling federation, is also excited. “Adventurous and fanatical cyclists are well represented in our cycling monitor. We know that they like to ride a race once in a while. The Ready2Race concept makes that possible. Easily accessible and without running the risk of being left behind or having to leave the race. Conversely, with Start2Bike we show novice cyclists the ropes in the sport. That’s how we strengthen cycling together.”
The new race concept will be launched in 2021 as a pilot version with races for participants aged eighteen and over. Next year, the number of categories, races and locations will be expanded and side events will also be added to race days.