Patta Cycling Team
Launched in March 2023, the Patta Cycling Team is here to enter the world of cycling with the aim to help build a better future for the sport. By breaking down the barriers that under-represented groups face in cycling, the Patta Cycling Team will take you on their journey learning to ride and they are here to lead by example. Through unique and engaging content, a community program that includes workshops and challenges and building role models to look up to, the team will challenge the stereotypes of the archetypal cyclists and reach out a helping hand to overcome barriers along the way. Supported by Rapha, Cannondale, SRAM and DFNS, this cycling team aims to push the sport to a younger and more diverse audience. Starting from stage one with any sport is alway the hardest part and following this group of protagonists through their personal and group development journeys will visualise how anyone can start their own cycling journey as well as join in the adventures, both online and offline.
The goal of this team is to firstly create a blueprint that can be replicated across cities and cultures by starting in the Netherlands and expanding further afield. Their adventures into the sport will continue on in Patta’s other chapter cities London and Milan. With ultimate goals to increase involvement from diverse ethnic communities, improving gender disparities the Patta Cycling Team aims to encourage greater engagement from the young adults. The team aims to do this by creating role models that inspire the next generation of cyclists alongside a community program existing out of mixed-skill-level workshops and community rides all leading up to the Patta 150 challenge.
Cycling is one of the largest participation sports in the Netherlands, yet it still finds itself lacking a diversity in its performers and audience. On a professional level cycling has less than 1 percentile of its participants being men of colour. On the women's side of the peloton we also find that only 2.5 percent of riders are women of colour. Representation is believed to be key to promoting cycling to a wider audience, whereby underrepresented groups can actively see ‘themselves’ included in the sport. Similarly, the absence of representation can be just as noticeable.
Team Members
Leading the team is Captain Tim Sabajo, who has built a team consisting of a melting pot of Patta Family members, prominent musicians and presenters from the heart of the Dutch capital. The team is held together by Danny Haryono (Wholesale Director at Patta), Edson Sabajo (Patta Co-founder), Eeva Lioni (Model), Fayrouz Salem (Product Manager at Rapha), Guillaume Schmidt (Patta Co-founder), Jan-Willem Jansen (former Basketball Coach), Lee Stuart (Brand Director at Patta), Marit Huisman (Cyclist & International Brand Manager at Basic Fit), Marian Duff (Director of OSCAM), Nica Renoult (Finance at Patta), Rogier Jansen (Project Leader at Patta), Passion DEEZ (DJ & Socials at Patta), Piet Langveld (Material Researcher), Pim Dikker (Merchandise Director at Nike), Veronica van Hoogdalem (Broadcaster and Radio Presenter), Yousef Gnaoui (Musician) and Willem de Bruin (Musician).
The Patta 150
Patta Cycling Team will challenge riders around the world to ride 150 km on the 1st July 2023 during Keti Koti, to celebrate and commemorate the abolition of slavery. The freedom of enslaved people in Suriname took place in 1873 after an additional ten years of forced labour performed by displaced people of colour. The team will take on this moment of empowerment that took place 150 years ago and use this opportunity to push forward, together by taking on the Patta 150. Anyone can take on this challenge alone or with their crew so we can stand in solidarity with those who came before us. To make the challenge accessible for more people there will be a 50/100km challenge as well.
