Thijs Zonneveld becomes "the Merijn Zeeman of BEAT Cycling" and shoots for Grand Tour participation in foreseeable future
Cycling
BEAT Cycling is a name that resonates in Dutch community. However the continental team has gradually fallen into mediocrity and so the goal for the new sports manager Thijs Zonneveld is clear - to put the Dutch team at the top of the continental feeding chain. And who knows, maybe more?
"I was a cyclist for BEAT until December 31 and secretly I have been working as a sports director for three weeks now. The Merijn Zeeman of BEAT. I am ultimately responsible for the sporting success, or the sporting failure," he reveals
In his podcast In het Wiel.
Zonneveld does know that his task won't be easy, because BEAT Cycling had better years in the past. "We are in 174th place on the UCI rankings. That is not good. We have to catch up in a sporting way. The ambition is to go from 174th place to fifty in the foreseeable future. Then you are competing with the big boys and you are eligible to participate in the bigger races. Then the dreaming starts."
And so the former gravel and beach race specialist dreams of the biggest. "We want to go to the Tour de France within a few years, or otherwise the Giro d'Italia. We will first have to perform as well as possible on a continental level to then become ProTeam. Within two or three years is ambitious, but I think it is possible. When you can start competing in the big races, then you add another two years for that dot on the horizon."
Compared to other managers at the continental scene, Zonneveld has several aces up his sleeve. "I have experienced things up close for 25 years, and I am aware of many things in cycling. I also bring a network with me, because I know many people in the sport. And what is very useful for the riders: I rode among them myself until recently. That way I can put myself in their shoes and I know what needs to be improved."
Read also
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
- As he isn't currently with Red Bull, I guess if he want to race for one more year he needs to find a team. He's 37 so this will be his last year I would guess, unless he wants to race for almost nothing like Froome did.awp10-11-2026
- I think some are making much ado about nothing. Even though Jonas is getting older, before his crash in the Tour, he looked like a solid 2nd all the way home. No one can really climb with Tadej until this year, Eric Mas showed himself which I think was a one off year for him and Paul Seixas has been able to be pretty close to him. Whatever stage race Jonas enters as long as Tadej is not there he is a favorite to win.awp10-11-2026
- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
- Me too!!!!!Occam10-11-2026
- they can sign any 100 of top riders today but Pogi will win over Remco any time at the TDF unless something goes wrongabstractengineer10-11-2026
- the time for a GC rider to retire is when they cannot win stages, or have a significant level drop like from winner/podium into top 5/10 consistently. Roglic is still competitive and Froome raced even though he became pack fodder.abstractengineer10-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment