Climbing the Mont Ventoux with a tricycle for charity

Van Raam regularly sees news articles in which our adapted bicycles and their drivers play a leading role. We recently came across an article from the Hoogeveensche Courant (Dutch newspaper) that we definitely want so share with our readers. The article we encountered was about Wolda Fidom from Hoogeveen. Wolda wants to climb Mont Ventoux with her Easy Rider tricycle on 6 September 2019 and thereby raise money for KWF (Dutch Cancer Society) and the Hersenstichting (Dutch foundation dedicated to combat brain disorders). Read more about this courageous achievement in this article!

The grootverzettegenkanker.nl logo
The Grootverzettegenkanker logo

Cycling for charity despite a disability

On the website of Grootverzetkanker.nl (a website about resistance to cancer) you can read that Wolda's husband Jan died at a young age in 2012 from the consequences of cancer. According to Wolda, Jan had a very positive attitude, for example, he made a bike ride with others from the Russian Valdivostok to the Dutch city Scheveningen (12,000 km!). With this challenge, money was raised to help polio get out of the world.
 
As if losing her husband was not bad enough, in 2016 the rare brain disorder limbic encephalitis is diagnosed at Wolda. Limbic encephalitis is a progressive, rare autoimmune disease in the brain. With this disease, the brain becomes inflamed because the body's own antibodies attack the brain, as if they were dangerous bacteria. Visible symptoms of this disease are: difficulty walking and difficulty with incentives.

Top of the Mont Ventoux (source: Google Maps)
The Mont Ventoux (Source: Google Maps)

Training for the Mont Ventoux

Wolda went through a difficult period, but regained hope when she came in contact with Romilda Oelen from the Rozorg organization. Together with her, Wold has found another goal in her life: climbing the Mont Ventoux on a special needs bike. In an interview in the Hoogeveensche Courant, Wolda indicates that this journey has given her a direction and new energy. She even notices that she is getting more strength in her legs.
 
Since May 2019, Wolda has been training fanatically for climbing the Mont Ventoux. She is training on an Easy Rider tricycle from Van Raam. She rides no less than five times a week on her tricycle and makes a lot of kilometres. She drives up and down viaducts and climbs the 'mountains' of the Netherlands, including the Lemelerberg and the VAM mountain.

Wolda and her team Piek and Dal climbing the Mont Ventoux in 2019 (photographer: Andre Weima/source: Hoogeveensche Courant)
Wolda and her team Piek and Dal (photographer: Andre Weima / source: Hoogeveensche Courant)

The day of climbing the Mont Ventoux

To reach the top of Mont Ventoux, Wolda has to cycle to an altitude of 1912 meters. This trip will be quite an achievement, which Wolda wants to do for her deceased husband.
 
Wolda will take up the challenge together with her daughter, Romilda and Romilda's daughter. The group of women has given their team the appropriate name 'Piek en Dal' (Peak and Valley), just as life goes on.

On the website of Grootverzettegenkanker.nl you can make donations for Wolda and her team Piek and Dal. With these donations, they want to support the KWF foundation and the Hersenstichting. By now Wolda has already exceeded her target amount of €400,-, but it is still possible to donate!
  
On behalf of Van Raam, we wish Wolda and her team a lot of success in climbing the Mont Ventoux!

Ruud Jansen is climbing the Mont Ventoux with an Easy Rider tricycle in 20182018
Ruud is practicing for the Mont Ventoux (Foto: Paul Rapp / Source: De Gelderlander)

Climbing the Mont Ventoux in France on a Van Raam bicycle

For Van Raam it's not the first time they hear that someone wants to climb the Mont Ventoux on a special needs bike. In September 2018, Ruud Jansen from Nijmegen also successfully accepted the challenge.

Easy Rider tricycle from Van Raam
Easy Rider tricycle for adults

Easy Rider tricycle from Van Raam

Both Wolda and Ruud use the Easy Rider tricycle. Wolda uses the Easy Rider for adults. Ruud cycled the Mont Ventoux with an Easy Rider Small. The big advantage of the Easy Rider is the low entry of the bike. In addition, as a driver you have a low center of gravity and most drivers feel more stable as a result.

Do you want to read more benefits about the Easy Rider from Van Raam? Visit our Easy Rider product page or the product page of the Easy Rider Small.
 
Do you have questions after viewing these product pages, or do you want to schedule a free test ride with one of the special needs bikes from Van Raam? Please contact Van Raam. We are happy to help you!

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