The idea to participate originated at the Ronde Tafel 36 Assen, an association where men between the ages of 18 and 40 come together. The money they raise goes to the Villa Joep and Hartekind Foundations, which conduct research into childhood cancer and children with heart disease.
These charities were not chosen randomly. Robert’s son, Thom, was born with a heart defect. And Johan de Groot, also a member of Ronde Tafel 36, has a daughter, Roosa, with neuroblastoma (childhood cancer).
The trip on Lake Weissensee ultimately became a tough job for the participants. “The weather conditions were fine early this morning, but when the sun rose above the mountains the ice became softer,” says supervisor Rolf Bakker. “At one point, more than a thousand skaters were active, so that ice no longer looked good around 3 p.m.”
“It became extremely tough. I saw trained sportsmen finish completely lost. Hundreds of riders did not even reach the finish,” says Rolf Bakker. Robert Jongsma also failed to complete the tour. “You have to be inside at a certain point, just like with the Eleven Cities Tour. He still had one or two rounds to go. But that is still a world-class achievement.”
His son Rik was one of the lucky ones who managed to cover all the kilometers. “So he has been given an Alternative Eleven Cities Cross,” says his father proudly.