From left: Zijlaard showing the new Tudor Black Bay Chrono Blue Boutique Edition to teammates de Kleijn, Pluimers and Changizi at Queensbay Mall, Penang (All photos: Tudor)
The Tudor Pro Cycling team that took part in the recent Tour de Langkawi say enjoying the ride is part of their strength. “We have fun. But when it’s time to be serious, we snap into the role. We have a ritual: with around 40km to go, we fist-bump then shift into race mode. And then we try to win,” says Maikel Zijlaard.
He and fellow riders Arvid de Kleijn, Sebastian Changizi and Rick Pluimers were in Penang after the race (Sept 29 to Oct 6) for the launch of the watch brand’s first boutique at Queensbay Mall. There was another reason to celebrate: de Kleijn secured second place under the overall best sprinters’ classification in Langkawi, claiming victory in Stage 4 and 5. Last year, he won the opening and sixth stages of the event, covering a total of 1,280km.
Instead of chest-thumping after a win, a big chummy hug says more for them because winning is a team effort that involves sacrifice and looking out for each other. Zijlaard puts things in perspective: “In the end, only one guy can step on the podium. Sometimes you have six, seven persons working for him to get up there.
“It would be crazy if Rick and I were to sprint — we might end up with zero medals. Arvid is the fastest in our group, so we give him the best shot to win. We all benefit because we want the team to grow and be better.”
“Arvid has the ideal body type for cycling. He’s really muscular and compact,” says Changizi. “When you’re going at 70kph to break the wind, it’s better to be a bit small, like him.”
This foursome often head out for competitions together, but who gets picked for action depends on which race is up, the challenges it poses and who is best suited for the task. On average, they have 60 race days over 10 months of the year before taking a break between November and January.
Launched in 2022 at the initiative of Fabian Cancellara — Olympic gold medallist in the individual time trial in Beijing and Rio de Janeiro — Sursee, Switzerland-based Tudor Pro Cycling comprises 41 riders from 11 nationalities who push themselves to the highest levels on the road. Buoyed by the brand’s Born to Dare spirit and three core values — Swiss, human and performance — “we believe the right people with the right project will make the right direction together”, to quote Cancellara.
Zijlaard picks up on that: “The team is Swiss and we want to perform, always. But the human aspect is also important because if you lack that, all the other things go a little backwards as well.”
Pluimers, who leads the strategy of a race, thinks Tudor’s Born to Dare motto syncs with cycling today. “We have to take big risks and get out of our comfort zone to win. You constantly have to think about what you would not have done before, something different from your opponents.”
His teammate thinks Born to Dare “is really just us getting out there and proving ourselves every day that we really want to be the best”. It can be going downhill, uphill or simply getting used to the heat in Malaysia, “a shock to the body” when they arrived.
Being part of the Tudor Pro team already sets them apart from the pack, Zijlaard reckons. “We go on training camps, join races and get whatever we need to [compete]. We have the best facilities to perform the best we can. It’s more like a partnership, not a sponsorship. That’s quite special in cycling.
“Tudor has given us the opportunity to travel the world and follow our dreams. If I may also speak for Rick, we are super thankful for everything they do for us. They take us to crazy places. I mean, look at where we are right now. Sitting here with you is not the hardest work. It’s like a holiday and I love it.”
What these guys also get is the Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition”, which they treasure because it is lightweight and “looks good”. The chronograph in a black carbon composite case is engineered for professional cycling, and customised with their respective initials on the caseback.
Tudor was established in 1926 by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf to complement the latter brand, at a more affordable price point. Asked how its reputation for dependability and endurance resonates with their mindset and goals, Zijlaard says: “Cycling is a tough sport. It’s the same with watchmaking. We’ve seen in the factory that Tudor has almost all, if not all, the equipment and wants to make the best watches. This is something we have in common. We strive to be the best we can. They do it in a different way. In the end, the goal is the same.”
Pro cycling has changed a lot in terms of clothing, bikes, helmets, gloves, equipment, everything you can imagine, he notes, as the industry attempts to go beyond the limit to improve kits and materials. “In 10 years, who knows what we will ride.”
The way cyclists train is very different now too, Pluimers chips in. “It’s more scientific. Our coaches really know how the body works, what we need to do to, say, be the best we can in 3km or better in 10 minutes. They know the way the body reacts to certain effort and training.”
What has also changed is women’s involvement in pro cycling. “It’s getting super big at the moment. Compared with 10 years ago, the level has grown insanely. I think that’s really nice,” says de Kleijn, whose bride-to-be Celine van Houtum — they are tying the knot on Oct 26 — was a professional cyclist.
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When it comes to tactics, men and women differ, “but we can learn from each other”. There is still a gap between what they earn, one reason being media exposure. “There is more men’s racing on television — that’s where the money is.” Increasing popularity will get women cyclists more attention and, hopefully, help bridge this disparity.
Changizi and de Kleijn see their relationship with Tudor as more than a shield on the chest and a name on their jersey.
“We want to make the team proud, as well as everybody behind us. There are all these nice stories we heard from Geneva when I was on the podium. The staff were watching the last 5km to 10km of the race together in the office and asking, ‘Did you see that? The team won again!’ This gives us just a little bit extra. Even if it’s half a per cent, at the end, it’s also something.”
When a rider is charging down the final 150m stretch, there is not a lot going on in his head, Changizi shares. “But sometimes you are thinking, ‘I gotta finish because of all the effort the staff has put in and all the investment that comes from the company behind us’.”
While good weather is a blessing on the road, clear skies and mild winds do not guarantee safe outings. With 160 competitors in a peloton edging to be first, crashing is always a fear, says Zijlaard. “We live on the edge and accidents can end in a bad way. That’s the risk we are willing to take.”
Climbing back on the bike after falling is crucial because those who do not finish cannot start the next day. “You have to shut fear out of your mind and continue,” says Pluimers.
Personally, Zijlaard feels that “when you start to really fear this sport, then it’s maybe best not to do it anymore. If you are scared on the bike, it gets more dangerous”. Pro cycling is punishing and is not for everyone. Ultimately, “it only gets dangerous when you really think about it”.
Reflecting Tudor’s daring to explore new territories with its no-compromise attitude in watchmaking, the team is set to keep their feet on the pedals and work hard towards being better cyclists and happier humans. As Cancellara would say, winning is important but how they do it matters more.
Tudor debuts stand-alone boutique in Penang
Enthusiasts who had always wondered what it would take to be a pro cyclist got the chance to push the pedal next to Tudor’s first boutique in Penang, at Queensbay Mall. A virtual cycling experience specially designed for the brand, and open to visitors from Oct 4 to 13, led them on the scenic but punishing Crans-Montana route, reputedly the Swiss Alpine benchmark for the sport, through the final 300m of a race.
After getting off the saddle, these “cyclists” and other patrons had the chance to explore the new store and get acquainted with the latest collections and specific timepieces, such as the Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition”, the official watch of the Tudor Pro Cycling team.
Four team riders fresh off the Tour de Langkawi — Arvid de Kleijn, Maikel Zijlaard, Rick Pluimers and Sebastian Changizi — joined in the Oct 8 opening of the boutique, located at the mall’s central atrium. Photos of these athletes take prime positions alongside those of other brand ambassadors, including David Beckham and Jay Chou, who personify Tudor’s Born to Dare spirit in their own ways.
Naturally, the centrepieces at its new address operated by Watches of Switzerland are the timepieces, each a combination of heritage and modern craftsmanship.
One fine example is the aforementioned Pelagos FXD Chrono, released earlier this year. It has a black carbon composite case with matte finish and matte black dial with red accents on the chronograph counters. A matching single-piece black fabric strap completes the self-winding watch, which
is water-resistant up to 100m and has a power reserve of 70 hours.
From Queensbay, the launch celebrations continued with an after-party at Macalister Mansion, whose majestic white walls and posh interiors were perfect for a Tudor red showcase of timepieces. Built in the early 1900s and restored as an eight-room boutique hotel, it was a choice backdrop for photos to capture the happy occasion, amid dazzling lights and buzzing music curated by deejay Victor G.
This article first appeared on Oct 21, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
