Cycling: Cycling is about success and money – at least most of them. Things are a bit different with the German Embrace The World Cycling Team. As the name suggests, the focus is primarily on the social aspect. Because the team name "Hugging the world" is actually lived. In addition to having fun with cycling, the team is primarily concerned with donations for the needy. After his two stage victories at the Tour of Rwanda, we speak in an interview with the German driver Julian Hellmann.
Embrace The World: Improving the world through cycling
It's not easy to gain a foothold in cycling. The top of the world is small and the path to becoming a professional is hard. But not every rider has what it takes to be a Tour de France winner – and maybe not even the claim. Because there are more important things in the world that the Embrace The World Cycling Team not only points out, but also sets an example for help. Dangers are mainly in exotic regions. The numbers are just as important to them as other teams, but it's less about the number of victories and more about the status of the donation account. While all drivers have to pay for their own flights, bike parts are donated to local people in need – directly and without detours. For example, money goes to animal protection and cancer aid foundations, but athletes in Africa and Asia are also supported. The team has existed since 2015. At that time it was founded by Micha Glowatzki, who still runs it today.
Julian, you just competed in the Tour of Rwanda with your Embrace The World Cycling Team and you clinched two stage wins yourself. What impressions did you get?
Julian Hellmann: After having the opportunity to ride the Tour of Senegal with my team last year, I was really looking forward to experiencing another African country. For us as an amateur team, it was an honor to receive the invitation to the highly regarded Tour du Rwanda (categorized as a professional stage race, UCI 2.2), and we prepared thoroughly for the event. Of course, we researched the country's history beforehand and what to expect. Ultimately, though, we have a lot of trust in everyone on our team, that we can always rely on each other in every situation – whether as riders in the race or on our support staff and sports directors. It's like one big family. Together, we want to get to know new countries, people, and cultures and overcome all the challenges.
Rwanda is a very poor country, but it has developed rapidly in recent years. We were all overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the people. Thousands, including many children, lined the streets everywhere. They ran alongside us up the climbs, cheered us on and danced along the way. If you then manage to make the decisive attack at the end with your last ounce of strength and win a stage, that's of course the icing on the cake. But not much more compared to all the other impressions that we get here.
In addition, it is always a great opportunity to get to know other drivers from different countries around the world and to exchange ideas with them. Or suddenly meet acquaintances from the Congo who greet you at the finish after you have met them on other African tours in recent years and tried to support them with material donations.
The Embrace The World Cycling Team is committed to a certain social commitment. Why did you choose this team?
Julian Hellmann: After almost ten years in German and European cycling, it was time for me and three friends to find something new, to give the sport a deeper meaning. That's how we came across Micha and his Embrace the World idea, and it was an instant fit. We started with just one jersey and one pair of shorts. But the idea of getting to know other countries and cultures together through cycling races was more valuable to us than anything else. With a bit of luck and some good results, we were fortunate enough to quickly find some equipment sponsors, and so we were thrilled when Canyon offered to provide us with bikes.
In the meantime, with DT Swiss and Alpecin, we have two more sponsors that enable us to at least pay for our equipment. We drivers usually bear the travel expenses ourselves. If things go well, we can cover our expenses with the prize money. If not, it doesn't matter, because every time we have more experiences and encounters, and we also donate part of our prize money. Our team is a special community. You can also see that from the fact that there are hardly any drivers who leave the team. We are all very satisfied and participate in many areas, from the search for sponsors to the procurement of materials and race planning.
All Embrace The World Cycling Team riders publish their data on Strava. This generates donations. How does this work?
Julian Hellmann: Our basic idea from the beginning was to improve with every kilometer ridden. That's somewhat utopian, but that was our goal. We could always make compromises. So the plan was for each of us riders (now 14 riders in the road team and 5 riders in the MTB team) to find a private sponsor, company, or acquaintance willing to donate a few cents for every kilometer ridden. The result is support – depending on the sponsor – of between one and five cents per kilometer. So when we ride the third stage here in Rwanda (200 km), each of us raises between €2 and €10; the same applies to training.
Most of us then transfer the money to our team donation account, from which we then support social projects. Preferably in those countries where we also race and which we can see for ourselves. As an example there would be B. a school for street children in Senegal. This is the second time we have supported and visited them. We even know the local teachers. In addition to the donation account, some drivers also donate their money directly to animal shelters in Germany or the German Children's Cancer Aid. In total, we were able to donate around €10.000 in addition to the donations in kind.
You travel a lot in Africa. Have the many impressions changed your view of the world?
Julian Hellmann: I think the races have subconsciously changed my perspective somewhat. Problems that previously seemed so distant and therefore not entirely real have become very close. This convinces me even more that we are at least heading in the right direction. The world seems much more like a single entity to me, more interconnected, because you see unexpected connections everywhere. Be it a little boy's jersey by the roadside with "Rhineland" written on it, or the Hamburg Süd shipping container that suddenly appears in a small village at an altitude of 2.500 meters in Rwanda.
In addition, on our travels I see the adversities and problems people have to deal with and still be happy and content. This allows you to rethink your own needs and put some worries into perspective. I think with the experiences that I am allowed to gain, my view of life and our social problems also differentiates. It gives me even more serenity with some apparent problems of everyday life. Nevertheless, I don't want to tend to become fatalistic, but rather try to continue to make a contribution to an equal world in small steps.
Anyone who would like a deeper impression of our travels, the races, and the experiences and people we meet along the way can check out our fantastic short films about some of our trips on our website www.etwcycling.com . We often have a professional camera crew with us, as was the case in Rwanda.
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What tip can you give to young riders who want to become a professional cyclist and therefore have a rocky road ahead of them?
Julian Hellmann: Many young people who start road cycling certainly dream of becoming a professional cyclist. For some, it might even be the right thing, but for many, it definitely isn't. I really enjoy cycling. The opportunity to be outdoors, to see other countries, the camaraderie of all of us as a team – otherwise, we wouldn't be so passionate about it. Nevertheless, I want to ride out of my own motivation and not because someone tells me to or because I get paid for it. Cycling is also a very tough sport. Right now in Rwanda, we're racing for eight days straight, covering 110 to 200 km daily and climbing between 1.800 and 4.600 meters. You have to be able to endure a lot of suffering when you're physically exhausted – and you reach that point quite often.
When I was on the road as a KT driver for a year after my community service, I realized that after three months the only thing missing was cycling. Cycling gives me a lot, but not enough. It's not very demanding on the head. At some point it becomes monotonous when you always meet the same drivers as competitors in the national races. Even in Europe it's always the same people you race against at the top. It gets boring in the long run, at least for me. That's why the team is so perfect for me. Friends, travelling, gaining experience, achieving success through self-motivation and completing a degree at the same time. And all completely self-determined.
When young riders make the decision to become a professional cyclist completely independently and self-determined, that's nice. But you should never lose sight of the big and important things in life and always know that there are endless alternatives - at least for us in Europe. For some drivers in Africa it is the only chance for an easier life. Luckily not for us, and so we shouldn't cling too doggedly to the goal of "professional cyclist".
Finally, where are you headed after Rwanda?
Julian Hellmann: Right after Runda, I'll probably be heading to French Guiana for another nine-stage tour. And before Rwanda, I came with the team from the Tour de Martinique, where we won two stages and I wore the yellow jersey for four stages.
But other drivers will also be in action in Tobago and China, then in Turkey at the Tour of Black Sea and in November, another highlight of the season awaits our team with the Tour du Faso in Burkina Faso. We are burning for the races like in Faso, because the enthusiasm for cycling there, like in Rwanda, is incomprehensible. Hundreds of thousands of people stand on the streets and that's where we can move the most with every cent for every kilometer.
The photos are by photographer Oliver Farys.