Frans van Slagmaat, one of the people that stood at the very basis of Marco Polo Cycling has passed away at 2^nd of November at the age of 71. Frans advised the founders of Marco Polo Cycling Club and later got involved as team director. Frans travelled to many different countries with Marco Polo teams, including China, Japan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Maroc and South Africa. As a coach he was unique in his team-work focused approach that could make a winning team out of a group of strangers.

Frans was also involved in the negotiations with the China Cycling Association to register the Marco Polo Cycling Team in China. His diplomatic gifts helped to make that happen. Most of all, Frans’ interest was with our projects in sports and development aid. When the Bike4All Foundation was started he was a natural and the only possible President for Bike4All. Frans developed the foundation into a huge success and was very much involved with PR in The Netherlands and with the projects in for instance Sri Lanka and especially Ethiopia.

It is hard to imagine a Marco Polo Cycling or Bike4All organization without Frans and we will miss him terribly. Most of all we will miss him as a dear friend. Because, above all, Frans was a very nice and warm person, someone that was loved by many. Let’s keep the beautiful memories we have, alive!!

Marco Polo Cycling wishes all the best to Frans’ direct family. Our thoughts are with you!