Inside Blog: It's a small dream for every highly ambitious amateur rider, for former professionals it's a belated accolade. The demand was correspondingly high, and the selection process was stringent: to be equipped with absolute top equipment worth around 8.000 - 10.000€ for a whole year, together with an enormously motivated group of like-minded cycling enthusiasts Passing equipment is the idea behind Team Lübbering.
Since 2014, the Gütersloh event agency Livewelt, together with cooperation partners such as Rose, Jakroo and other partners, has enabled a small selection of Jedermann cyclists to make their personal dreams come true for a whole year.
This year, Johannes Lübbering GmbH from Herzebrock-Clarholz has climbed into the saddle as the new main sponsor and namesake. As part of a long-term cooperation, the cooperation is designed for the next three years. 17 pedal knights, selected from around 150 applications, act as brand ambassadors at major events such as the Cyclassics in Hamburg, the Velothon in Berlin, the 24-hour race in Kelheim or the legendary Öztaler Cycle Marathon, bringing with them experience, motivation and a great deal of enjoyment Cycling, which is characterized by the top team idea "Cycling successfully together" at 21 cycling events in the two-wheeler world.
In addition to experienced top performers such as Jonathan Breuning, Manuela Freund (winner of the German Women's Cyling Cup 17) or the founding members Jane Kittel and Tanja Hennes, some newcomers have also joined the 2016-man team Lübbering, which has been expanded by four players compared to the previous year. With Malte Beversdorff (30, Rheda-Wiedenbrück), Marius Bocker (22, Herford), Renzo Calligaro (44, Dinslaken), Jörg Pohlmann (36, Cloppenburg), Pascal Pomarico (40, Bochum), Michael Weise (39, Tegernheim) , Tanja Dittrich (27, Herford), Merle Kaase (25, Bielefeld) and Livewelt employee Anna Otte (27, Gütersloh), nine new or returnees put on the black and green team uniform. On the one hand, the victories and podium finishes achieved so far underline the concept of success; on the other hand brought a lot of renown and prestige in the amateur scene.
After the impressions of a training camp in Austria, Lübbering Managing Director Achim Lübbering smiled resolutely away from the rain clouds that came up before the first joint ride: “These are not a bunch of cucumbers who cycle a bit. They are all ambitious athletes. They want to achieve something, they want to win”. Once the right momentum had set in, the managing director of the special manufacturing company underscored the synthesis of cycling: “The drive in bicycles is similar to that in our special tools for the automotive industry and aerospace. So we're a good match." In any case, the affinity for sport is extremely pronounced in the company. Achim Lübbering: “15 or 20 years ago we all sat together in front of the television at the company and watched the Tour de France. This gave rise to the idea: we could set up our own cycling team”. In addition to the company cycling group that is now being set up, the Lübberings also play beach volleyball together, chase soccer balls in the Klosterpforten Cup and throw themselves down the mountains together in their skiing free time.
In the team-finding phase, Achim Lübbering focused specifically on women's cycling as a "great, personal concern". Since "women's races are almost completely lost in public perception," says the businessman, six women and eleven men can look forward to being included in the ambitious cycling team. Last year, out of 13 drivers, five were women.
Ole Ternes is absolutely certain: "In terms of organization and equipment, we are absolutely in the best position. With what we provide to the team, some cycling clubs get tears in their eyes”.
The Lübbering team has been complete since Friday and is looking forward to the first assignments. Every rider is willing and determined to let their legs fly in the 2017 Jedermann cycling season. There can't be a better prerequisite for mutual team success.