Ute Collier, employee at GZA, is taking part in the Spring Challenge from 2nd till 31st of May. She is the team leader of team 'Het 5de Wiel'. Ute chose an e-bike with a Bosch Active Line Plus motor. But actually she is not a cyclist at all ... Read Ute's story, why she cycles and participates in the Spring Challenge.

Teambuilding by bike

Ute has been working for two months at the Antwerp hospital GZA. As communications manager she is in charge of the social media channels and technical support for online webinars at the hospital. For Ute, participating in the Spring Challenge is a great team building exercise and a good opportunity to get to know her new colleagues better. Her three team members are direct colleagues from the communication team and also regular cyclists. They regularly exchange tips, including on the best routes to cycle. As communications manager, Ute was one of the first to know about the Spring Challenge and she encouraged her colleagues to join her team. The team's ambition is to cycle 75% of all competition days. All bike rides count: to work, but also in free time.

I am not a cyclist

Thanks to the Bosch Active Line Plus motor in her e-bike, Ute never arrives sweaty after her 9 km ride from Hemiksem to the Sint-Vincentius campus in the centre of Antwerp. She chose this motor because it combines power with a long range. 

"Actually, I am not a cyclist at all", says Ute. "At my previous jobs I always had a company car at my disposal, but now I almost always cycle to work, unless I have to travel with cameras or other heavy equipment."

"The e-bike has made it a lot easier for me to switch from car to bicycle", says Ute. "I was tired of traffic jams. Now I can happily cycle past the traffic jams that start two blocks from my door and get to work faster. Moreover, I can make stops without parking problems to pick up my child or to go to the bakery. After a whole day inside, I look forward to my bike ride in the open air, even when it's cold or raining."

Better cycle route

At the moment, Utes' cycle route to work is not equally pleasant everywhere. Among other things, she has to cycle along the A12 motorway. "On some sections, the cycle paths are really too narrow for the many cyclists and they are full of potholes and bumps. I am looking forward to the completion of the Antwerp-Boom cycle highway, along the railway line. That will make my trip to Antwerp a lot more pleasant", says Ute.

We follow Ute and her team 'Het 5de Wiel' during the Spring Challenge. Next time you will learn more about her teammates. 
All information about the Spring Challenge and registration: click here.