BEAT Cycling Club, the First Team to Travel by Train to Training Camp in Girona

Rotterdam, February 8, 2024 – BEAT Cycling Club is taking the next step in sustainability this year. Instead of the traditional flight to the training camp in Spain, both the BEAT riders and equipment will travel to Girona and Catalonia by train. The rail transport is estimated to result in over 80% emission reduction compared to the original journey.

Sustainable Journey to Catalonia with Interrail
After BEAT Cycling Club was the first team to permanently switch to electric team cars last year, the transportation of riders and equipment to the annual training camp in Spain is now undergoing a transformation. “BEAT’s training camp was initially scheduled by plane, as always. When discussing the season schedule with the team management in terms of sustainability, the training camp came up quickly. It had to be done differently,” says Twan van Schie, BEAT’s sustainability manager.

With thorough research together with Royal HaskoningDHV and Rail Cargo Information Netherlands, a plan was quickly devised. Catalonia is a fantastic training area that is also sustainable to reach sustainably. Interrail supports BEAT’s journey. With Interrail passes, BEAT riders can flexibly travel by train to Girona, also giving them the opportunity to explore other areas in Spain or Europe by train. The Catalan Tourist Board has also joined this project. Sustainable travel and fantastic cycling in Catalonia go hand in hand, and BEAT has the chance to showcase that. The most beautiful routes and places will, of course, be shared.

The Next Step
The riders are excited to participate in this next step towards sustainability. “It’s, of course, pioneering, but we are happy to take on the challenge to see what is possible. The train offers a lot of space for comfortable travel. You might lose a few hours on the travel day, but with smart planning, the difference remains limited,” emphasizes Geert Broekhuizen, director, and founder of BEAT.

While the bicycle is a fantastic sustainable mobility solution, professional cycling is still a part of the sustainability problem. From rows of cars behind the peloton and high material usage to all other transportation movements: there must be a different way.

Not only the riders but also the equipment with Raillogix and RCC
BEAT has teamed up with Raillogix and RCC Container Trading to set up a container that transports the equipment as sustainably as possible from the Netherlands to Girona. Because Raillogix believes that rail transport is the smartest and most sustainable way of goods transportation, they provide the doorto-door cargo transport for BEAT, together with KLG Europe. The fact that the equipment is also transported by rail makes it complete for BEAT Cycling Club. The container has been set up by HBM Machines as a mobile workshop and can be used much more frequently in the future.

Fast Journey with Lunch in Paris
The team departs from Amsterdam on February 14th. The journey is fast and comfortable: One train travels to Paris, where the only transfer of the journey takes place. Along the way, Flemish or more southern-based riders can simply board at a nearby station. From Paris, it’s a straight shot to the platform in Girona, Catalonia. “The journey takes less than 12 hours, with a generous layover in Paris for lunch and a potential buffer for delays. In the coming years, even tighter travel schedules are planned to Catalonia, including an overnight train,” says Twan van Schie.

About BEAT Cycling Club
In 2016, BEAT Cycling Club embarked on its mission: to build a professional cycling team rooted in a cycling club with its own identity and a fervent community, now comprising thousands of cycling enthusiasts. In professional cycling, BEAT is active with a continental road team in the international cycling peloton and with its own track team. BEAT riders have achieved various victories on the road and track in recent years, including more than 10 UCI road victories, 10 track World Cup victories, and Dutch, European, world, and Olympic titles.

BEAT Cycling Club is proud to showcase sustainable steps and is excited to collaborate with this new group of partners: Raillogix, RCC Creative Container Solutions, Interrail, Catalan Tourist Board, Royal HaskoningDHV, HBM Machines, Rail Freight, the Future is Ours and KLG Europe.