Next Generation

Proceeds of the Merci Poupou project will be donated to initiatives and charities supporting children and adolescents from different backgrounds and living conditions practicing sports, staying active or rehabilitating.

Now we come up with details:

With the special jersey for the Tour de France, we commemorated Raymond Poulidor, Mathieu van der Poel's grandfather and the way passion for cycling is often being passed by grandparents to grandchildren.

Now it's time for the next generation.

The Corona crisis has made it much more difficult for children, adolescents and persons with disabilities to access sports, clubs and all physical activity services.

With our initiative, we want to make a considerable contribution to various charities and organizations, aimed to help children, adolescents and persons with disabilities from different backgrounds and living conditions to practice sports, experience movement and develop joy in being active.

In 2021, we awarded 5 institutions, associations or non-profit organizations that enable children, adolescents, and persons with disabilities to engage in movement, a grant of 10.000 euros each.

In 2023 as well, the profits of auctions and sales will be awarded to several selected non-profit organisations. The selection of these non-profit organisations will happen after this Merci Poupou campaign and will be communicated through all communication platforms.

In addition, The Merci Poupou fund strives to build a long-term and sustainable relationship with all these initiatives to be a supportive partner over the next years.

In 2021, five associations have been elected by the team management and riders, due to their persistent engagement to support children, adolescents and persons with disabilities experiencing movement, in the widest sense of the word.

AFH Revalidatieweide
The Athletes for Hope opened a unique and beautiful Athletes for Hope Rehab pasture in the spring of 2021. This pasture is open to children with paralysis as well as all children with disabilities for either physical or mental rehabilitation.

The Rehab pasture is an oasis of tranquility, where the combination of nature and the warmth of miniature horse therapy has a healing effect on body and mind.
WAC Team
WAC Team is one of the oldest cycling clubs in Flanders, having been around for 80 years. The club has a strong heart for youth, has 125 members between the ages of 8 and 18, and runs entirely on volunteers.

WAC attaches great importance to the team spirit within the club. Everyone helps each other to develop within their possibilities. Values such as friendship, team spirit, respect, honesty, and passion are held in high regard. WAC team strives for gender equality and inclusion. Besides the boys, also girls and para-athletes are given the opportunity to develop their talent within the WAC Team.

Additionally, WAC Team’s focus lies on a qualitative framework within a strong sports project, including participations in the most beautiful competitions at home and abroad, led by experienced and certified trainers and supervisors. Learning through play is key in their philosophy.

In doing so, WAC Team carries out the purpose of the Merci Poupou project: the passion for sport is passed on over generations, within a structure where everyone can find their place. To visually emphasize this, the riders of WAC Team will wear the legendary 'Merci Poupou' colors as from January 1, 2022.
Giro d’Italia Ciclocross
The Giro d’Italia Ciclocross is an overall stage challenge including a general classification held from October to January, in different Italian areas. Founded in 2008, now for thirteen years, the Giro d’Italia Ciclocross has been encouraging young Italian cyclists to discover cyclocross in a child-friendly environment.

This is what makes the Giro d'Italia Ciclocross a unique project. Where youth cyclocross was no longer existing in Italy 12 years ago, today over 250 Italian youngsters between 8 and 22 years old participate in each event of the Giro d'Italia Ciclocross, and this all over the country.

As cyclocross is at the grassroots of our team and since we hope for the cyclocross scene to live up again in the traditional countries, we chose to include the youth division into the MerciPoupou-project.
RSV Unna
RSV Unna is a German youth cycling team that was founded in 1968 by riders who wanted to start a new and modern club in the region. They have a total of 160 members, including 40 young athletes in the youth tanks. Their ages vary between 11 and 19 years and they are the organisation’s main focus. The development of young cyclists to become pro athletes has been the main goal of the organisation right from the beginning. RSV Unna has already produced several professional cyclists: Justin Wolf, Jon Knolle, Charlotte Becker, Michel Hebmann and many more.

During the corona period, they have provided alternative training so that their youth could continue to train. The Merci Poupou fund, just like RSV Unna, is committed to youth work. That is why we are pleased to support them with Merci Poupou Fund. Thanks to the support they will get from the Merci Poupou fund, they will be able to offer their young riders an even better service. They will be using their financial support for travel expenses and in equipment for their youth department.
LVM Saarland Trofeo
LVM Saarland Trofeo was founded in 1990 by Gerd Hufschmidt. In the early days this was a one-day race but over the years it has grown into a five-day stage race. LVM Saarland Trofeo puts their focus on the juniors. Each year they organize a junior race that takes place in Germany and that is part of the UCI Juniors Nations' Cup. This event is only possible thanks to the support of the involved municipalities, the police and the many volunteers who work with great enthusiasm and expertise. In addition, cross-border cooperation between Germany and France also ensures the continuation of this annual junior cycling race at international level and highlights the understanding among nations.

For three years, the leader in the Saarland Trofeo will wear a leader’s jersey in the Merci Poupou colours! “For the participants and responsible persons of the Saarland Trofeo it is a great honour, a distinction but also an obligation to consolidate or even improve the standard of the event when receiving such a generous sponsorship by the fund "Merci Poupou". We also like to remember the French cycling icon, Raymond Poulidor. In his long professional career, we also saw him in the 1970 Tour de France stage from Saarlouis to Mulhouse. It´s exactly the area the Saarland Trofeo is held every year.”