Eric Kanters from Gemert is participating in Alpe d’HuZes for the ninth time. “You come here for the disease and go back to Gemert with a virus,” he explains. During the event, sporting achievements are shown, but above all money is collected for cancer research.
On Thursday, some five thousand participants, including more than twelve hundred people from Brabant, will cycle or walk up the mythical Alpe d’Huez. The participants climb the mountain a maximum of six times, by bicycle or on foot.
Eric is one of the team members of ‘Gimmert Goes Alpe D’HuZes’. “We are ready for it,” he says firmly. “The start is at half past four. We first descend to the village. There are many burning lights along the route. That is really impressive.”
“The Alpe d’HuZes virus is difficult to describe.”
Those lights are lit in tribute to the people who have died of cancer or who are now suffering from it. “The Alpe d’HuZes virus is difficult to describe. It’s a feeling. You have to experience that.”
Eric, together with Bernhard Rooijackers, is one of the nine cyclists in the Gemert team. Climbing the mountain symbolizes the agony that cancer patients sometimes have to go through. The road to the top is 21 bends of hard work. Quitting is no option.
Bernhard gets on his bike for the fifth time. In his mind he cycles for the sick daughter of a colleague. “She is in bad shape. She will be operated on today. I will make an extra effort for that,” explains Bernhard, while his voice skips a bit.
The team from Gemert wears a sunflower on a cap or bicycle helmet. Eric: “A teammate’s wife passed away a few years ago. The sunflower was her favorite flower. A tribute to her.”
A smile and a tear. That is how the atmosphere at the top of the mountain is best described. A little further on is the carnival band De Donderjagers from Boekel. “We are here to support everyone and bring some fun,” says one of the band members. Then the song ‘Life is good in the Brabant country’ is started.
