‘We do this for people who can no longer do it themselves’

Merijn (22) remembers well how the idea to cycle to Alpe D'Huzes with other Triton members came about. The Economics & Business Economics student wanted to cycle up Alpe d'Huez after participating in the indoor version of it on a spinning bike in 2025. He knew that his fellow Tritonees Samuel (22), who studies Physiotherapy, had already cycled up the mountain for the KWF Cancer Fund. Together, they came up with the idea of inviting more rowers from Triton to join them. "We mentioned this casually to one of the board members and, before we knew it, we were in the boardroom pitching our idea."

The Triton board encouraged them to send a registration email to all club members. They soon had seven or eight registrations. On the evening before the registration deadline, a party was held at the rowing club. Merijn then stood on a table to call on everyone to register one last time. "That evening, the registrations came flooding in." 

Alpe d'HuZes is an event that originated in 2006 to raise money for cancer research and improve the quality of life of people with cancer. Every year, participants cycle, run or walk up the Alpe D'Huez mountain, in the south of France, up to six times in a single day. Five thousand people are allowed to participate in the event. Additional editions have been created in recent years, such as Alpe d'HuZus and an indoor version.

Personal motivation
A team of twenty Triton members will now cycle up the mountain. Some have extensive cycling experience, while others have little, but motivation was the main factor in the selection process. They all have their own reasons for participating.

This will be Samuel's second time. He did it for the first time in 2024, without any experience and with borrowed equipment. He was captivated by the stories he heard there. "I was moved when I saw someone cycling with a photo of his deceased daughter on the bike. It's a day you'll never forget. The goal, combined with a sporting achievement, is my reason to go. With those two elements, you've got me on all fronts."

Alpe D'HuZes has a very personal meaning for Merijn. In September 2024, after feeling unwell for some time, he ended up in hospital. A CT scan revealed a tumour on his adrenal gland. From that moment on, his life changed. The tumour was surgically removed, which also required the removal of his adrenal gland. "After the operation, I was like a vegetable; I couldn't do anything anymore. My days consisted of getting up, making coffee and showering. Then I had to go back to bed."

Indoor version
Merijn had to learn to walk again and take a lot of medication to compensate for the loss of his adrenal gland, among other things. The rehabilitation process was frustrating, especially because he could no longer play sports, which he had always done. Although he was lying and could barely move, he signed up for the indoor Alpe D'HuZes in June 2025. "My doctors and my physiotherapist strongly advised against it, but I did it as a form of protest. I wanted to believe it was possible. And in the end, I succeeded."

He spent 7.5 hours on the spinning bike at Ahoy, a concert hall in Rotterdam, with a tray of pills next to him on a small table. Afterwards, he was sick in bed for two days. "It was an emotionally charged day, but one of the best things I've ever done," he recollects. Merijn is doing well now. He still takes medication, but only needs to take one pill a day instead of eight. Now, he wants to help other people with cancer.

"I don't know what I would have done if I had been unable to play sports anymore. I was lucky that the disease and the removal of my adrenal gland went this way. It is a huge motivation for me to raise money for research to prevent other people from getting this disease."

Sponsors
Merijn and Samuel are currently recruiting sponsors for the event on 4 June. The organisers of Alpe D'huZes expect each participant to raise at least 2,500 euros. As a group, this amounts to at least 50,000 euros. All proceeds will go directly to charity.

In addition, they are raising funds within Triton through campaigns to keep the event affordable for students. Participating incurs several costs, such as the registration fee, which costs 140 euros, as well as travel and accommodation costs. "It's quite expensive to participate in Alpe D'HuZes, especially for students, but we try to cover as many of those costs as possible with the help of sponsors."

The group will train on weekends at the holiday home of a former Triton member. "We want to make it as easy as possible to participate, both in terms of donating and actually cycling, so that anyone who wants to join can do so."

The group will start training in earnest in February and cycle south in the last week of May. "Everyone wants to cycle up the mountain as many times as possible, but that takes a lot of training. People with less cycling experience set different goals than those with a lot of experience, but every goal is equally valuable."

Samuel says that some rowers did not even have a bicycle when they registered, so they had to borrow one. "They may be beginners, but they're very motivated. Everyone helps each other; we really do it together."

Merijn and Samuel each hope to climb the mountain six times on 4 June.

Want to support the Triton members cycling Alpe D'Huzes? Due to the event's regulations, the group has been divided into two teams of ten cyclists each. Team 1 can be sponsored here, and team 2 can be sponsored here.