"They just keep talking about cycling all day."

Some may recall the message from Farouk Itani from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He asked if he could stay with a host family during the EJCTA. The Wusten family from Westerbork saw the request, and it turned out to be a perfect match; their son Tristan-Jan also races in the U17 and is a year younger.

“They have a lot to chat about, cycling, cycling and more cycling,”  says mother Maritia, who enjoys having Farouk stay with them. Farouk also took part last year, staying in a hotel with his mother and sister at the time. “I wanted to gain international experience and become a better rider outside of the UAE.”

A crash prevented him from finishing in the front group back then, so he was keen to make another attempt this year. In preparation for the EJCTA, he focused primarily on his cornering and heavy braking, as there aren’t many sharp turns in the UAE. The team has a large cycling track there and is training together a lot outdoors; the heat sometimes makes this challenging.

Farouk has been training for three years now and currently holds the first place in the UAE cycling federation rankings. “I want to turn professional and one day compete in the Tour de France. I’m in an international school and it can be a tough balancing act. I even remember studying with my notebook on the team bus right before a math test.”

He has noticed that the Netherlands is a very bicycle-friendly country: “The separated lanes let you get anywhere safely, and the drivers are respectful.” Farouk’s goal is to successfully complete the EJCTA, right up to the final race. “I am heading straight to the airport after the final race because I have a team training camp two days later.”

The Wusten family hopes Tristan-Jan and Farouk will ‘remain friends for life’. “They are both enjoying their sport and are very driven and focused, which we truly admire. We love hearing them chat about different training methods and how things work in different countries. Tristan-Jan is training in Spain at the moment and attending school there. He enjoys Farouk’s stories about racing in UAE.’

‘We are a very international family being mixed cultured from Trinidad and Tobago and the Netherlands, also as we have experienced life in the Middle East and have respect and appreciation for the different cultures. It’s a true pleasure having Farouk with us, it feels like having family over.’

By Tieneke Verheijen