Kom op tegen Kanker and vzw WK2021 join forces for a smoke-free future

Kom op tegen Kanker will be the charity partner of the 2021 UCI Road World Championships, which will take place in Flanders this year from 18 to 26 September. The crowning glory of the partnership is the ambition to make the Road Cycling World Championships a smoke-free event. In addition, Kom op tegen Kanker and the organisation of the World Championships launch a campaign to mobilise people in the fight against cancer.

Together for a smoke-free future

Kom op tegen Kanker and vzw WK2021 together want to make the road world championships a completely smoke-free event. Kom op tegen Kanker is one of the most important pioneers in the field of preventing cancer from avoidable causes. Therefore, the organisation feels called upon to sensitise and mobilise the public of the world championships against smoking. Marc Michils, general director of Kom op tegen Kanker, says: "By joining forces with other organisations that also have a strong and differentiated network, our message gets more impact. We want to use the appearance and prestige of the road world championships to raise awareness. So we are delighted to become the official partner of the 2021 UCI Road World Championships and thus embrace a new ally in our mission".

All of Flanders as one team in the fight against cancer

To add strength to the partnership, Kom op tegen Kanker and vzw WK2021 are jointly launching a campaign in the fight against cancer with the support of KBC. They are counting on all of Flanders and the solidarity that such world championships entail. With the ‘Gelijk nen Echte’ (like a real one) team they want to form the biggest cycling team in Flanders to raise money for Kom op tegen Kanker in the months leading up to the world championships. This will be done by means of various challenges which will be launched in the period from March to September and in which people can take part but have to pay a contribution to do so. The challenges offer something for everyone and are creatively completed with the applicable safety measures in mind.

Karl Vannieuwkerke will lead the initiative as team leader. He can count on Ine Beyen as a front woman and Maarten Vangramberen as a front man to pull the sprint.  "The role of ambassador in a partnership with the organisation of the World Cup and Kom op tegen Kanker is tailor-made for me. Everyone knows that cycling is in my DNA and that I support Kom op tegen Kanker.  I'm really looking forward to riding together with Ine, Maarten and the whole of Flanders in order to raise money for Kom op tegen Kanker in the coming months as one big close-knit 'Gelijk nen Echte' cycling team," says Karl Vannieuwkerke.

As part of the campaign, Kom op tegen Kanker launches a cycling collection, to take on the challenges ‘Gelijk nen Echte’ (like a real one) and completely in the style of the road world championships. The collection consists of ‘Gelijk nen Echte’ cycling outfits and a lifestyle collection for the whole family and will be in shops from early April. The proceeds will go to Kom op tegen Kanker.

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