The Champ, Wouter Niks, started as a fatty smoking non-sporter but over the years he turned into a true athlete. But the Champ is a little slow in his game. He is often played out of position by the strategic moves of his friends. Therefore The Champ often gets second best.

Niks is also slow starter and he has the habit to get in shape just when the Tour is (almost) over. That's why we know we haven't seen the best of the Champ yet. In 2011 the Champ saved his season in the end by some fine victories.  We expect the Champ to continue his progress for 2012.

Palmares 2011: 
  -    1st Marie Blanque in Pyrenean-tour 2011
  -    Gold Velomediane Claude Criquelion 6.07.00
  -    1st Elco Bruinsma Classic (Mont Ventoux)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plop, Pieter Booij's nickname, doesn't refer to his cycling qualities. As a cyclist he deserves  a nickname like 'Le Blaireau (the Badger) as Bernard Hinault had, for Pieter shares some of his Hinault's character.  Pieter can really focus for one single climb. Most of his tactics are about saving energy to just that moment, which brought him his other nickname: de spaarpot / the piggybank.

On a climb Pieter Booij comes from behind the pack and beats his opponents on their most fragile moments. He waits and selects his moments carefully, and only when he sees that the competition has weakened he'll show his true strengths. Memorable were his victories on the Kroonplatz (2007) and more recently on the steep nort-side of the Vall d'Ebo (Alicante).

In contrast to his strong cycling tactics is his dubious investment stategy frequently buying cycling gear at the wrong moment. Last years he made he builded himself a legendary BMC that unfortanetely stood untouched in the summer. His absence in the Pyrenean-tour last year will motivate him for an even stronger comeback for 2012.

Palmares 2012:
Elfstedentocht 10/2/2012

Palmares 2011:
-     Gagnador del Campeonata Collado del Rates por extranjeros

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First time participant Michiel Princen made a vivid and strong impression in the Pyrenean-tour 2011. Word goes around that Princen is an even faster runner uphill than with his bike. Eventhough without a bike you are at least 7kg lighter I cannot believe the stories that Princen outran, a few years ago, some of his cycling friends on the Mortirollo. 

Again Princen is putting a Marathon on his agenda for spring as his prepation. We will see and report here if that is a smart training strategy. But personally for 2012 I don't  want to see Princen on leather. I prefer him on his Canyon. Because on rubber he is not only one of our stronger engines but most of all a valuable member of our pack.


Palmares 2011:
-     1st Collado de Urquiaga in Pyrenean-tour 2011


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Our time trial champion Caspar Hermans was undoubtedly the man to beat for 2011. He didn't crack much, but in the exceptional moments that he had to give away a mountaintop-finish Caspar demonstrated his true sportmanship overloading his opponents with praise. That is how we recognised in him a true lover of this sport.

His social compagnionship was in total contrast to stories that came to us years earlier. But instead of being an autistic cycling obsessive, we learned Caspar as a funny clown and a positive stimulator in our group.

As a demonstration of Caspars mental and social flexibilty he became, after initial objections, the most fierce devender of our camping concept.


Palmares 2012:
Elfstedentocht 10/2/2012

Palmares 2011:
-    Gold Gran Fondo Eddy Mercks 5.28.00
-    Overall winner and winner of almost all the climbs in Pyrenean Tour 2011
-    7th NK Timetrial for Masters (45+)
-    UCI World Championships Tour final 58th category 45+

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mouse, Arno van der Veek, prevers the off-the-road courses. Gravel, grind and mud brings out the best in him. Remarkable for a guy with top of the bill carbon material. However there is always something wrong with his Look. Doesn't he need a good mechanic. Why doesn't he go to our méchanichièn Ger?

We expect Mouse to be eager to put something straight to correct for his performance of 2011, as we are sure he expected more of himself. In the Velomediane Criquelion 2011 he revealed a climbs of the true cyclist Mouse can be. Mouse is a man with a mission for 2012.

Palmares 2011:
-    1st Col du Peyressourde Pyrenean Tour 2011
-    Gold Velomediane Claude Criquelion 6.05.00


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some of us regret the day we invited Manus for a ride. Bart Man turned out to have a true talent for cycling but unfortunate for Dutch Proffesional Cycling of the last decades, his talent was discovered to late. 

Now we have to suffer him and for years we could not win any price. Speculations say that his year of absence in 2011 will not be without negative consequences for his physical capacities. Bart, being the master of secret training and prepartion, has to set things straigth for 2012. Or frontrunner Casper has claimed his throne.


Palmares 2011:
- Causing crash at Reeuwijkse Plassen including Mouse
- Causing crash at Kromme Mijdrecht including Lex and Arne.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dave Wendt is the dream cyclist for many and born for a racingbike. He is callled El Classico for the most elegant and sophisticated position on a racebike and  combined with his preference for vintage cycling outfits it is always a joy to see him climb. 

In the early days his legs were as good as his sense of style, as one of the stronger climbers of the pack. Though age and fatherhood turned him into an average follower. That made him gain his other nickname: kleef (gluey). After missing his presence in the Pyrenees last year we hope to see Dave joining us in the Alps for 2012.

Palmares 2012:
Elfstedentocht 10/2/2012

Palmares 2011:
- 1st on every climb in de Ardeche and Cervennen in 2011 in his solo tour.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stok, William Stokman, is known for endurance, his noose for direction and shortcuts, and for his nasty tactical tricks. But nobody feared Stok during spring 2011 as a serious cyclist due to his overweight and lack of mentality. Though contrary to opinion, last year the route-master surprised with an impressive comeback as a performing cyclist. 

A secret training program, loosing weight and a long hidden investment in carbon made him the runner up for 2011. Now Stok is a challenging opponent for many, although we expect Stok to have reached the max of his potential, and his box of slick tricks is about to be empty. He is even giving away his route-knowledge advantage by introducing GPS tracks for 2012. However other Garmin users can't fully trust all the tracking info, especially just before the top.

Palmares 2012:
Elfstedentocht 10/2/2012

Palmares 2011:
-    Gold Gran Fondo Eddy Mercks 5,48,00
-    1th Tourmalet and Col d'Ispéguy Pyrenean-tour 2011
-    UCI World Tour Final Stavelot 68th category 40+

Participant:
2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 (ATB), 2009, 2010, 2011

Participant:
2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 (ATB), 2009, 2010

Participant:
2011

Participant:
2008 (ATB), 2011

Participant:
2008 (ATB), 2011.

Participant:
2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010

Participant:
2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010

Participant:
2003, 2004, 2007, 2008 (ATB), 2009, 2010, 2011

No participant got so much nicknames in our cycling group as Ad Bakker. I see it as a sign for the hudge respect we had for Ad's achievements and contribution. For our Nestor climbing cols was a late call, but his development as a cyclist went fast: he started as 'Snakebite', evidently for the amount of punctures he got in the beginning, but  soon he became ' Ad Buitenblad', known for his 50X finishes on cols. 
 
Ad new challenge is going for long distance tours with luggage, girlfriend and preferably with Rohloff  gears. We will miss his coffee in the morning, his contributions from literature and science ('How to catch a bat') and specially Ad's oatmeal that he cooked for us every morning. With dedication for Ad's effort, here is Ad's oatmeal-ritual for ever in our memory. 

Palmares 2012:
Elfstedentocht 10/2/2012

Participant:
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010.