Benefiets event 2019

The first Benefiets event to be organised by Stichting Balsewa took place on Saturday morning, 11 May 2019. Participants were welcomed at the beautiful Holthurnsche Hof hotel in Berg en Dal.
Robert van Mourik got the event under way by thanking the participants for their contribution to the future of the children of Pumdi Bhumdi in one of the poorest regions in Nepal, and wished them all a successful day.
After a cup of coffee and a healthy smoothie, the cyclists set off on one of the routes.
The 100 km group tour began first, led out by motorcycles and followed by a sag waggon. The route crossed the Seven Hills Ridge, touched the border with Germany and meandered through pretty towns like Groesbeek and Berg en Dal. During the stop half way round the route, the participants could rest and recover with sports foods. For a few minutes on the steep climb up the renowned Van Randwijckweg, the cyclists could dream they were in a professional peloton. Professional cyclists had had to race up the same stretch in the 2016 Giro d’Italia.
Shortly after the group tour had started the individual tours of 40 and 60 km got underway. These, too, were carefully chosen, enjoyable routes.
The participants were charmed by the varied countryside, first over hills, then across polders and finally a steep climb. Many positive comments were heard about the beautiful route and the professional support provided by Extra Leisure.
One participant said, “I fell in love with Nepal during a holiday there. I saw a young boy doing the washing up under a table. That was when I realised how important it is where you are born. That’s why I am taking part in this event. I’ll definitely be taking apart again next year, too.”
Click here for an impression of the day!