Words
Larendo van Gennip
Photos
Floor van den Maagdenberg
In the first weekend of September, more than 3,000 amateur cyclists from over 70 countries gathered in Aalborg, Denmark. From former champions to ambitious amateurs, they all shared one goal—the coveted UCI rainbow jersey.
In the days leading up to the big race on Sunday, Aalborg transformed from a quiet harbor town into the heart of the cycling world. Racers, mechanics, and soigneurs could be seen on every corner of the city. Whenever you checked out the race course, you were never alone for long. You might start off solo, but before you knew it, you were riding in a peloton of like-minded athletes, all with the same singular focus.
With near windless conditions and rolling hills, the race was set for a fast pace. The 150 km course, featuring 1,400 meters of elevation, provided the perfect opportunity for one last major test of our Manifesto range before its official launch. If our gear could meet the demands of riders at this level, we knew it was ready. Three enthusiastic racers from the Netherlands, who had qualified for the championship, agreed to race in our new kit. We made sure they had the best gear possible to perform at their peak.
As the start time approached, the nerves began to build. One last trip to the restroom, and I was ready. Once we left the starting line, the nerves quickly faded, replaced by focus. My goal was simple: get to the front of the group as soon as possible. Midway through the race, a series of short but steep climbs pushed me to my limit, and I just managed to hang on to the lead group in my category. In the back of my mind, I knew the final 20 km would suit me better.
As I reached those last 20 km, I was still in the lead group—game on! I fought to position myself among the top 20 riders in a pack of 50-60. This is the part of racing I love the most. But with 5 km to go, cramps began creeping into my legs, dashing my hopes of a top-10 finish. Still, I knew I had pushed myself to the absolute limit. Even in the final two turns, I managed to stay within the top 10, but I couldn’t manage a sprint. The result? A top-20 finish in my first world championship—not bad, right?
This was my second road race—the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Aalborg. Even though I rack up a lot of kilometers on the road bike each year, my heart lies off-road. Joining a road race at this level was a leap of faith—either succeed or crash trying. Learning the dynamics of the peloton was a challenge, but thanks to a few great tips from a friend, I was able to hold my own.
The race itself was a constant rollercoaster of climbs and descents, mostly through the countryside, where the wind could be a real factor. Positioning was everything, and I learned this the hard way when I found myself behind a peloton break at a critical moment. I had to burn through some energy to close the gap. At around the 90 km mark, I had a minor incident with another rider, causing my chain to drop. After a frantic 5 minutes fixing it, I gave everything to catch up with the peloton and managed to latch back on just before another key point in the race.
In the end, I stayed with the group and finished 52nd, just 59 seconds behind the winner. It was an incredible day in the saddle, and I gave it my all.
Men
Women
Accessoires
Women
