Rabobank offered its Beach Challenge race once again this year, where amateurs are pitted against the professionals in a special cross race. It is an out and back course on the beach in Sheveningen. In freezing temperatures, many amateurs tried their luck against the professionals in the 2010 edition. Ramses Bekkenk won the race, Sebastian Langeveld came in fourth.
The professional Rabobankers knew the challenge they were faxing against in-form amateurs ahead of the race. "This is my first intense workout, as I am only training for two weeks now." Despite the lacking form, Langeveld looked forward to the event. "It is nice to have a competition in the winter," he said on rabosport.nl.
Langeveld gave some tips ahead of the race, emphasizing the difference between the beach race and a regular cyclocross. "You have to find places where it is not so deep, and to have as much traction as you can," Langeveld said. Despite three riders ahead of him, including winner Ramses Bekkenk, who rode home solo, Langeveld was pleased. "It was tough, but I am happy with the way I was going."
His teammate Wesley Kreder was less optimistic before the start. "I don't think I will get a top placing." For him, the training his primary focus right now. "I want to prepare well and hope for a good season."
Several groups of the many Rabobank branches in the country were at the start line as well, such as the group from the capital Den Haag. " We trained the echelon, and also how to run with the bike. It was intensive training," Harold Rademakers said. They had done two special clinics to prepare for the event.
After the race, the amateurs were just as spent as the pros. "It was hard, really hard," said Ronald Vogels. "On the way out we had a tail wind, so it was really tough on the way back."
Many women joined the fun as well, such as Saskia Janssen and Esther Wientjens. "We rode really well," Janssen said. "We found a group of men who cut the wind for us," Wientjens added.