- Campus , Sports , Student
- 17/02/2025
Sports spotlight | Squadra Veloce’s favorite number is 6.6
TU/e boasts a total of 38 student sports associations. And every one of them offers its own unique experience: from slamming aces to skimming across the water. At student sports center SSC, you get a wide range of options to choose from: gaming, jumping, running, cycling, rowing, flying, shooting, hanging, playing chess, surfing, punching and pushing. Cursor wants to put every one of these associations in the spotlight. The first question is “What is your favorite number?”
Warming-up
The favorite number of the Eindhoven Student Cycling Association Squadra Veloce is 6.6, because that is the alcohol percentage of Kwaremont beer. And the reason for that is because the beer is named after the two-kilometer climb known as the Oude Kwaremont, a mountain in the Flemish Ardennes with an average gradient of 6.6.
Squadrans enjoy drinking a Kwaremont at their favorite pub the Cyklist on the NRE grounds. But what they love even more is winning on the bike. Because they always want to go faster or farther then their clubmates. Speaking of which, Wouter Salden (Squadra’s head coach and commissioner of internal affairs) readily admits that “quite a few of our members are poor losers. They blame it on things like their tires being too soft or their hangover too rough.”
But on the national level, no excuses are necessary. Squadra is the best of the ten student cycling associations in the Netherlands. Squadrans won the team classification of the Studenten Wielersport Nederland student cups in both 2024 and 2023.
Scores
- The track in Eindhoven-North where their training takes place on Tuesdays is 400 meters long.
- They cycle 67.1 kilometers on Thursday evenings.
- 4 times a year they go on vacation together to the Ardennes, the Vosges or the Alps.
- 41 cyclists attend the training week in Gerona.
- Squadra has 2 confidential counsellors.
- The association was founded in the year 1990; September marks the start of their 7th lustrum.
- There are 196 members.
- The team car has a mileage of 267,661 kilometers.
- 12 sponsors contribute to the association.
- 5 loaner bicycles are available for anyone who wants to give cycling a try.
Analysis
When daylight savings time begins (last weekend of March), groups of 15 cyclists plus one trainer start cycling the Eindhoven loop every Thursday evening. The loop is a good 67 kilometers long. “This year, four groups will be cycling. They start in intervals and the fastest cyclists go first so they don’t have to overtake each other. The trainer comes along to ensure safety,” says Salden, who also leads a group as trainer.
Squadra is very proud to have its own team car, which can carry up to sixteen road bikes. Nine on the roof and seven on a trailer. “It’s traveled all over Europe. After 267,661 kilometers, it just passed another inspection. Hopefully, it will last for many more.” The decals give the basic Kia a professional look. Sponsorship goes a long way!
Discussion