Lisa Debue becomes the new owner of Torstein Træen’s iconic yellow Ridley Noah Fast

Lisa Debue from Diksmuide is the proud new owner of the yellow Ridley Noah Fast ridden by Torstein Træen during the Tour de France. She won the bike through a special Vive le Vélo competition supporting Kom op tegen Kanker. On Friday, Lisa travelled to Belgian Cycling Factory in Beringen to collect her prize and discover more about the place where the bike was created.

Lisa first saw the yellow Noah Fast while watching Vive le Vélo. The story behind the bike immediately caught her attention. Træen had made headlines in the Tour, but his journey to the yellow jersey is about much more than cycling. In 2022, the Norwegian was diagnosed with testicular cancer after a doping control raised concerns about his health. Doctors discovered a small tumour at an early stage and were able to remove it successfully. Træen recovered and returned to professional racing later that same year. His story was the inspiration for the special competition. Ridley created a replica of Træen’s yellow Noah Fast and offered it as a prize through Vive le Vélo, with the proceeds going to Kom op tegen Kanker.

Speechless

Lisa was determined to win it. “I was watching Vive le Vélo and was touched by Torstein’s story. When I then saw the CEO of Belgian Cycling Factory painting the bike himself in the factory, I was completely convinced. I even sent two text messages.” It turned out to be worth the effort. A few days later, Lisa received a phone call from the makers of Vive le Vélo. “On Sunday evening, I got a call from the programme. It was an unknown number, so I initially thought it was a friend who works as a doctor and always calls like that. Then they told me that I had won the bike, and I was speechless for a moment.”

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A special visit to Beringen

On Friday, Lisa and a family member travelled to Beringen to collect the Noah Fast. Danny, one of Belgian Cycling Factory’s association workers, gave them a tour of the company’s facilities before handing over the unique bike. The yellow Noah Fast is a replica of the bike created for Træen during the Tour de France. Its striking yellow finish makes it impossible to miss, while the bike itself benefits from the same performance-focused technology that characterises the Noah Fast.

For Lisa, however, the bike will not spend its days on display. She plans to ride it. “Since the coronavirus pandemic, I’ve become an active cyclist. We usually ride together on Wednesdays and Sundays. I’ve already climbed Mont Ventoux and next year I hope to discover the Vosges. I’ll be able to do that on this yellow bike, although I’ll have to take extra good care of it. It’s a real eye-catcher and will definitely stand out. I might have to look for some yellow cycling clothing to match it!”

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Supporting the fight against cancer

The competition was organised as part of Ridley’s long-standing collaboration with Kom op tegen Kanker. Every year, almost 75,000 people in Belgium are diagnosed with cancer. Belgian Cycling Factory strongly believes in the power of cycling and movement, both for a healthy lifestyle and for bringing people together around an important cause. The collaboration with Kom op tegen Kanker supports the organisation’s work in research, prevention and support for people affected by cancer. Belgian Cycling Factory has also provided logistical support for several initiatives, including De Col op voor Kom op tegen Kanker.

Vive le Vélo also raised an impressive amount for Kom op tegen Kanker this summer. Thanks to the support of thousands of viewers, the popular Tour talk show raised no less than €502,496. Behind that impressive total are thousands of people who sent a text message, showed their support and contributed to a future with better treatments, more scientific research and greater hope for everyone affected by cancer. Kom op tegen Kanker thanked everyone who contributed to the campaign: “Only together are we stronger than cancer.”

The fundraising campaign ran throughout the latest edition of Vive le Vélo, the daily Tour de France talk show on VRT 1. Once again, viewers showed their generosity and helped turn the campaign into a major success. The yellow Noah Fast played its own small but meaningful part in that success. By putting the unique bike up for grabs as part of the Vive le Vélo campaign, Belgian Cycling Factory was able to contribute to a cause that goes far beyond cycling.

Lisa can now start planning her next adventures. She has already climbed Mont Ventoux and has the Vosges on her wish list. Her next kilometres will be on a very special yellow Noah Fast.