Lazare's week

Every year, it’s wonderful to see and hear that so many young cyclists from all over the world have come to Assen. This week, we are following ten-year-old Lazare from Nice, who is competing in category 3 in Assen for the first time.

Lazare is racing with bib number 3 this week; when I see him riding after the finish line, he is looking for his mother, Astrid. She will be acting as an interpreter, and—with a little help from a fellow club member—we fortunately find her quickly.

‘Assen’ marks Lazare’s first experience racing abroad. He has been cycling for about three years now. “I watched the Tour de France in 2023 and was hooked; I wanted to do that too,” he says. “I find it exciting and fun to compete in Assen.”

He and his parents drove 1,600 kilometres to get here, and they have been staying in a holiday home in Anloo since Wednesday. It takes a bit of getting used to the landscape of Drenthe—far fewer mountains than back home. Category 3 won’t be tackling the VAM-berg on Wednesday, though the riders will certainly be cycling in the area. “I really like the open landscape here, with the cows and sheep,’ says Lazare.

While he sometimes makes the podium back in Provence, he found today’s race quite tough. “It’s like a mini-World Championship here; the level of competition is that high,” his father adds. Even so, Lazare is aiming for a jersey this week—the colour doesn’t matter to him.

We’ll catch up with him later in the week to ask how he enjoyed the experience. In the meantime, you can follow him on Instagram at @lazare_sport. Best of luck and have a wonderful week, Lazare and all the other riders!

By Tieneke Verheijen