And, yes, it’s also the time when some of us at OMP try to awaken our inner Elisa Balsamo, Lotte Kopecky, Mathieu Van der Poel, Tom Pidcock or Wout Van Aert, when we reconvene the OMPedalers Club. The club is a group of cycling enthusiasts (some would say ‘freaks’) who, come rain or shine, get together once a week to hit the streets on their ‘steel horses’ (carbon and aluminum are also allowed), exploring the backcountry around the OMP head office for a couple of hours. Admittedly, for some, that awakening of the inner cyclist takes a bit more convincing and, frankly, a lot more effort than for others …

The weekly rides are a great opportunity to get to know your colleagues in a different light, which contributes a lot to making OMP a great place to work. There’s even more to it than that. In many ways, a career at OMP is actually a lot like learning to ride a bicycle. We enjoy it even more as we get better at it. Follow me, will you?

Eventually, the training wheels come off, and you can ride unaided. A bit wobbly, yes, but steadily. Your trips become longer. Slowly but surely, you feel you’re gaining strength and confidence when you ride.

If in doubt, simply dismount and give it a good hand pump, as Swiss Toni would say. If necessary, there will always be a seasoned companion to help you out.

Before you know it, you’ll be planning the next trip for your team and leading the way. You set the pace yourself, taking new enthusiasts along for their first rides.