Foundation Ready2Race won the very first IMPACT Award during the National Cycling Gala at the Beatrix Theater in Utrecht. Presented by former cycling commentator and Club 48 member Maarten Ducrot and Michael Kastelijns of Staatsloterij, the award recognizes initiatives that use cycling to achieve social impact.
Ready2Race is the platform in the Netherlands where children can get acquainted with cycling in a low-threshold and accessible way. With free and locally organized activities, the foundation ensures that youth between the ages of 2 and 15 can discover the joy of cycling. The initiative originated from Yellow B., the company behind Team Visma | Lease a Bike, and has grown into an independently operating foundation since its inception in 2019.
In 2025, Ready2Race organized over 200 Rabo Dikke Banden Races, 55 school clinics and 13 clinics throughout the Netherlands, in cooperation with cycling clubs, schools and local organizations. In total, more than 20,000 children participated in the activities. This increased the reach by thousands of participants compared to 2024, with especially the number of school and youth clinics showing a 60% increase.
With the IMPACT Award, the National Cycling Gala aims to reward initiatives that go beyond sporting performance alone and contribute to health, social connectedness and development. The jury praised Ready2Race for its national scale, accessibility and measurable social impact.
The foundation strives for a future in which cycling is a natural part of young people's daily lives, with fun, health and talent development at its core. By enthusing children for exercise and playing sports together, Ready2Race contributes to counteracting social challenges such as obesity and loneliness.
An amount of €2,500 is linked to the IMPACT Award and will be used to further strengthen and expand the initiative in 2026.
