On the second Saturday of June this year, a ten-strong contingent of Damen cyclists took part in the charity cycling event ‘Delta Ride for the Roses’. The annual event raises money for cancer research; this year’s edition bringing in just under 200,000 euros for this worthy cause.

The 120km-route included a back-and-forth passage through the Westerscheldetunnel. The 120km-route included a back-and-forth passage through the Westerscheldetunnel.

Karsten de Feijter, who works in the procurement department at Damen Naval, coordinated the Damen peloton for the first time as the successor of Bram de Visser who handled this before his retirement. Karsten was joined by nine other Damen cyclists: Wieb Hoogerwerf, Jaap Janssen, Rik Meerman, Arend van Veelen, Rini Verdonck, Peter Verstraate, Alfred Verdonk, Bram de Visser, and Peter Werner (former Damen employee).
As well as taking in a 120km circular tour of South Beveland, this year’s edition of the ‘Ride for the Roses’ included a back-and-forth journey through the Westerschelde Tunnel.

“Cycling through the tunnel was a unique experience, but also one that came with a special set of safety rules,” says Karsten. “For example, no overtaking, no whistling, no singing was allowed in the tunnel.”
The Westerschelde Tunnel also produced some impressive elevation gains (impressive for Zeeland, in any case!). “We had over 200 metres of climbing, which is not often the case after just some cycling up and down the dikes in Zeeland.”

The Damen team gained Twitter-fame. The Damen team gained Twitter-fame.

The ten cyclists cycled the whole route together as one group, finishing in 3 hours and 53 minutes, and in weather conditions that were considerably better than the previous edition. “The last time we did the Ride for the Roses, before Covid, we spent three of the four hours cycling in the rain. This year we had beautiful sunny weather and only one flat tyre between the ten of us. The wind on that warm weekend was blowing a typical ‘Zeeuws windje’, a solid Beaufort 4 from the south-west.”

If anyone reading this is interested in participating in next year’s edition, Karsten is quick to point out that the 120km route is not the only way to take part. “This is the longest distance, one that needs at least a bit of training. But there are shorter distances of 25, 50, and 80 km too. And there is a great atmosphere – it is definitely not a race. If anyone wants to sign up for next year, they can email me.”

Tired but triumphant: the Damen team at the finish of the Delta Ride for the Roses. Tired but triumphant: the Damen team at the finish of the Delta Ride for the Roses.
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