KBC Autolease’s Jan and Romy to cycle 1 000 km for ‘Kom op tegen Kanker’ 2025 with their very own team
During the Ascension weekend, from 29 May to 1 June 2025, Jan Rykaert, Romy Vrancken and five of their immediate colleagues will be participating in the 1 000-km cycling event for cancer charity ‘Kom op tegen Kanker’ (‘Let’s Beat Cancer Together’). As a team of seven, they’ll each tackle one stage of the course. Their goal is clear: to cycle 1 000 km in four days, starting each day from the city of Mechelen. They will be joining thousands of other cyclists doing their bit to support much-needed cancer research.
Making every kilometre count
The 1 000-km cycling event is not your everyday bike ride. It is an event filled with symbolism and solidarity that has been held every year since 2010. The full distance is split into eight rides of 125 km each. Every morning, the pack of cyclists will leave from Mechelen, stop halfway for a break and then return to Mechelen. ‘Every round is cycled in a pack at a fixed speed of 24, 27 or 30 km/h’, explains avid cyclist Jan Rykaert. ‘The organisation will make sure the roads are clear of traffic and that technical support, medical assistance and supplies are provided along the route.’
The participants will cycle to a different Flemish city every day. This year’s host cities are Essen, Peer, Bruges and Buggenhout. This brings some variety to the course, and also allows as many regions as possible to be involved in the event. ‘There will be supporters along the entire route, cheering the cyclists on’, that much they already know.
This will be Romy’s first time taking part in a physical challenge of this scale. She will be cycling the route from Essen to Mechelen: 125 km at 24 km/h. ‘I love cycling, but I’m by no means a fanatic athlete’, says Romy. ‘I wanted to take part anyway, though, especially since this cause matters so much to me.’ Her husband and brother-in-law have faced cancer previously, and one of her friends is currently battling breast cancer. ‘I’ll be thinking of them as I cycle, making every kilometre count.’
Romy is preparing for the event at her own pace, training leisurely in her spare time, mainly on the weekend. ‘The idea of cycling together, as part of a guided group, boosts my confidence. It helps me get on my bike with a clear goal in mind.’
Team KBC Autolease with Jan (2nd from the left) and Romy (3rd from the right).
Making an impact together
Jan has chosen a more strenuous ride: on Saturday, he will be cycling 250 km, from Mechelen to Peer and back. ‘I’m an avid cyclist and I enjoy getting to work by bike as well as touring on the weekend’, says Jan. ‘I can easily cycle this distance, but performance isn’t the main focus here. It’s a way to show support and raise money for research that is still too often underfunded.
Support for the cause is tangible in the workplace as well. The KBC Autolease team has seven participants who will each cycle one stage of the course. Some of them are athletic, others are more laid-back. ‘Everyone cycles at their own speed as part of a pack of cyclists who are all at the same level’, Jan explains. ‘The members of our team have chosen different speeds: 24, 27 and 30 km/h.’
KBC Autolease’s involvement isn’t an isolated activity. As a KBC subsidiary, KBC Autolease is part of a broader movement. KBC is the main sponsor of the event and has enlisted no less than 22 teams this year. ‘That speaks volumes about the level of commitment to this initiative within the organisation’, Romy points out. ‘We all share the same goal: making an impact together.’
In addition to preparing physically, the team also worked hard to raise money for the entry fee. Each team has to raise at least 5 500 euros. ‘We sold small bags of sweets and Easter eggs, held a tombola and even organised a track-stand contest’, Romy continues. ‘The support we received from family, friends and colleagues was heart-warming. We couldn’t have done it without them.’
Support
What makes the 1 000-km cycling event so special is the combination of athletic enthusiasm and heartfelt involvement. Romy couldn’t have said it better: ‘You’re not just riding your bike. You’re thinking of loved ones you’ve lost or those still battling the disease. It’s pretty intense.’
Jan also sees it as a way of linking the importance of exercise to a higher cause. ‘We work at a bicycle leasing company. It only makes sense for us to hop on our bikes and participate. But what matters most is the message it sends. We want to show our care and solidarity.’
The 1 000-km cycling event is not a race. It is a collective effort of thousands of cyclists, each with their own story. For Romy, Jan and their colleagues, it is above all a manifestation of hope.