English

CYCLING  =  THE PEOPLE'S SPORT        

For decades, cycling has been an integral part of the European sporting landscape and Belgium is certainly no exception. From the outset, cycle racing has been the battleground of the working man, thus cycling can legitimately be called a sport of the people.  Cycling is popular the length and breadth of Belgium.  Even the smallest rural communities have witnessed the spectacle of a race whooshing by as part of a village fair. 

Drama is a key component of bike racing.  Each and every rider is seeking to prove himself in a man-against-man fight where suffering, perseverance and passion come to the fore and make victory taste sweeter than honey.

Cycling, unlike more conventional team sports, sees the rider fighting primarily against his own physical limits, the elements, fellow riders and the terrain.  Cycling is all about learning how to lose but still daring to keep on fighting and, in so doing, becoming a new creation capable of pushing your limits still further. 

VISION

In keeping with its name, PaxX Global Cycling seeks to promote cycling worldwide by focussing on countries where cycling is either non-existent or merely a fledgling sport.  In countries where cycling is more established, we concentrate our efforts on developing riders as people and as athletes.  We also aim to shed fresh light on various aspects of cycle racing which are currently amiss.  

In many countries, cycling has become big business.  Now, there is nothing wrong with businesses backing sport.  Indeed, this is one of the reasons behind cycling’s success.  Elite-level sport has now reached such a level of professionalism that the efforts of mere amateurs and enthusiasts seem to pale in comparison.         

However, these amateurs and masters are the beating heart of cycling.  They are 100% committed to their passion and, when work and family commitments allow, are hungry to test and push their sporting limits.  It’s high time to give cycle sport back to the people!  Otherwise, it will become a mere marketing vehicle, a victim of its own success.     

PaxX Global Cycling has a clear Christian vision.  This involves putting Christian values such as solidarity and friendship above competitive success.  The rider as a person is central to our activities.

STRUCTURE

The club is reliant on unpaid volunteers who wish to work towards the realisation of our vision.  As previously stated, the riders’ personal development lies at the heart of the club’s activities. This means that our approach is different to that of many other cycling clubs.  Instead of developing a schedule that riders then have to follow religiously, PaxX has a radically different way of relating to them because we see each rider as an individual with their own work and family situations, different ambitions and as a person with both skills and shortcomings!  With these considerations in mind, each and every rider is supported in reaching the goals which they have set themselves. 

Riders can call upon the services of a team of support staff to assist them in reaching their goals.  The support staff includes a doctor, physiotherapist, mental coach, team leader, mechanics etc.  

This is a long term commitment, the fruits of which only mature through close co-operation between the rider and the support staff.  Rather than targeting quick success, which can lead to burnout, we champion long term co-operation with patience and passion driving us forward towards success.

CLUB ACTIVITIES

PaxX Global Cycling has three core activities:

Cycling team

Event organisation

Social projects

1. CYCLING TEAM

40 competitive and 50 recreational riders make up the backbone of the cycling team.  In our midst are not only Belgians but also riders from the Netherlands, Great Britain and even Gambia and they ride in several different categories including youth, amateurs, elites without contract and masters.  PaxX Global Cycling caters for riders of all ages.

As of this year we also have a MTB Offroad team and an organised group of recreational riders.  In the near future we would also like to set up a ladies team.

Expanding the racing team is also high on our list of priorities.  We are seeking to plant new hubs in neighbouring countries and have already set up a team in the Netherlands.

Our riders regularly participate in national and international races with our riders not always obtaining the results that their performances deserve.  Our riders have taken part in well known races in countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Norway, Portugal, Spain, USA, Ivory Coast, India and Gambia.   

PaxX riders have also obtained some notable victories over the years including a l’Alpe d’Huez hill climb, the Gerolsteiner Classic in Germany, the 24-hours of Zolder, the European, Belgian and Limburg championships and the 8-hours of Spa.   

2. EVENT ORGANISATION

We successfully organised a cycling festival, complete with retro race, in the Sint-Pieter’s district of Sint-Truiden, proving that a cycle race can indeed bring life to a town centre!  People were suddenly flocking to an area where a deathly silence had reigned for years due to a lack of renovation work.  This is further proof that cycling is a true sport of the people which also serves to bring people together in celebration.   

It would be fantastic to have the opportunity to organise bike races in many other towns and villages and, in so doing, bring a fresh breath of life.  We are also looking at how we can develop this idea still further and encourage others to organise something similar in their neighbourhoods.  Our list of priorities for racing in the next few years includes the Belgian and World Championships in the Amateurs and Masters categories!   

Furthermore, every year we have a team presentation, several fun winter activities which serve as team building exercises, the Tim Milis Memorial, the Big Volunteer Bike Ride in Brussels and the club championship at the Peer velodrome.

3. SOCIAL PROJECTS

As a club, we choose to organise a wide range of social activities, some are even only loosely related to cycling!

The Gambia Project was a success story for PaxX.  In February 2012, two of our riders set off for Gambia to assess the possibility of promoting cycling in the western African country.  Cycling in Africa is not an easy undertaking, but, 18 months down the line, we have 3 local riders sporting PaxX jerseys!  They have even started their own club with some 25 members under the name Paxx Global Cycling Club and we have been sending cycling kit and bicycles to Gambia several times per year.  You can see more information on the project, its objectives and many pictures by clicking on the GAMBIA PROJECT tab.     

Another ongoing project involves setting up a cycle workshop in the asylum centre (Fedasil) in Sint-Truiden.  The aim is to provide training in bike mechanics to asylum seekers and to teach them how to ride a bike.

MEDIA

Communication is one of our fortés.  We believe that communication is essential to teamwork.  The management and riders need to communicate well in order to work together efficiently, the management must communicate with the sponsors in order to provide them with up-to-date, first-hand information and the club itself must communicate well with its members and supporters.

Investing in good relationships with the national and local press is of paramount importance to us.  Our website is the first port of call for the latest news.  Furthermore, we send out a monthly e-newsletter containing all the top stories to all of our sponsors, supporters and the press.  We regularly contact the press with additional news for publication.  Our annual team presentation attracts the media in droves, including the written press and local TV stations.    

Our team supports the work of Tearfund Belgium (international development aid organisation) and Serve the City (international volunteering network).