The enthusiasm was already high and it only grew during the training camp. Liv Cycling’s very first Grassroots Programme was a big success, and the four inaugural participants now look back on a hugely beneficial camp with Liv AlUla Jayco’s Continental Team.
Through Liv Cycling’s global network, numerous talented riders were shortlisted in recent months. In the end, Gabriela López (Colombia, 21), Lotte Borremans (Finland, 15), Niamh Murphy (United Kingdom, 18) and Malou Eisen (Netherlands, 23) got coveted invitations to a training camp in Limburg, in the Netherlands. For a whole week, the quartet received professional coaching, attended workshops and underwent physical tests.
Cycling is for everyone
The Grassroots Programme is part of a vision by Liv Cycling and the team to make cycling more accessible to all women, regardless of background, as well as ideal opportunity to discover new talents.
“We got a very good view of the potential of the four riders, and we will continue to monitor them,” says Eric van den Boom, general manager of the Liv AlUla Jayco Continental Team. “In the coming period, we will decide together how to follow up on the Grassroots Programme and it will become clear how we will offer support to the quartet in the future. Talent development is and will remain a priority.”
Varied programme
The four riders settled down at Landal GreenParks atop the famous Cauberg climb. Throughout the week, they trained for up to four hours a day, alongside riders from the Liv AlUla Jayco Continental Team. There were also technical training sessions at the Tom Dumoulin Bike Park in Sittard and staff members organised relevant workshops on nutrition, care and training, among other topics.
Pathway
“I went to the training camp with some nervousness. It was a totally new setting for me with people that I didn’t know before. During the first training session, the apprehension disappeared and I immediately felt at ease,” says Niamh Murphy.
“I was particularly curious about the structure of the cycling team and how the team interprets talent development. In men’s cycling, you have many development teams and a clear categorisation with juniors, U23 and elite, which contributes to a natural flow. Such a pathway is missing in women’s cycling. It is very interesting to experience how Liv AlUla Jayco makes a strong commitment to the future generation. I also wanted to test myself and meet new people.”
Murphy learned a lot from her time with the team; “There is a very pleasant atmosphere in the team. There are a lot of people involved who contribute to the development of the riders, without talking about performance every time. I found the workshop on nutrition very interesting. It’s amazing how you can make a lot of progress with the right nutrients at the right time.”
Confidence
Combining school and sport Lotte Borremans also enjoyed the camp. The Finnish rider is still relatively young, but knows exactly what she wants, especially after her participation in the Grassroots Programme.
“It is very inspiring when you can spend a week together with like-minded women who, like you, want to achieve the maximum in cycling,” Borremans says. “The Netherlands is known as a flat country and for its changeable weather conditions, but we discovered beautiful places in the south and in great temperatures. So, it was a wonderful week of cycling.”
“I got a clearer picture of how a team is composed and works together to achieve common goals. I would like to turn pro one day. I am very motivated to combine school and top sport and would like to see how far I can get. The camp has given me the confidence that it pays to work even harder to achieve my goals.”
Big carp
Colombian Gabriela López made a long journey to attend the training camp. “It was a valuable life experience to make this trip and be with other passionate girls from Europe for a week. I found it special to get to know other sports cultures and to train with other talented riders.”
“One day I hope to be a professional and I was eager to prove myself this week. Paula Patiño, with whom I sometimes cycle, has already shown that it is possible for girls from Colombia to make the step to the WorldTour. It would be great if I also manage to put Colombia on the map internationally as a cycling country.”
During the Grassroots Programme, Gabriela provided some entertainment. For instance, she was teaching the other riders Spanish words and the group enjoyed themselves at the Shimano Experience Center in Valkenburg on a rest day. “Afterwards, we went fishing and I caught a big carp,” she says.
Valuable
For Malou Eisen, the training area was not new, but that did not make the Grassroots Programme any less special. The workshops with the nutritionist and team doctor also added value for her.
“The training camp was particularly valuable, especially the explanation of how to train. I found out that I need to add more variety and that it is important to train different energy systems. I already knew the theory behind that, of course, but now we discussed very specifically how you do that in practice.”
“You hear all kinds of interesting things that you can use in the future. At the end, we did power profile tests on the Camerig climb where we tried to achieve the highest possible average watts for 15 seconds, 3 minutes, and 12 minutes. Compared to a previous test, my numbers have improved and I can see and feel that I am moving forward.”
