November 7, 2023

A RECAP OF OUR THIRD
#CROSSTHEBRIDGE CYCLING EVENT

On September 8th, 2023, we hosted the 3rd edition of our #CrossTheBridge Cycling Event. This annual gathering brought together our valued partners and customers, for a day packed with adventure, celebration, networking, and, importantly, the sharing of SAP cybersecurity knowledge and insights.

It was a great privilege to have Leo van Vliet, a renowned professional racing cyclist and winner of a stage in the Tour de France, joining us for the event. He’s not only the race director of the Amstel Gold Race, but also a former coach of the national cycling team, a former teammate of Joop Zoetemelk, and a winner of Gent-Wevelgem. His speech was of big inspiration for all attendees, shaking our energy and determination to give our best on the ride.

How did it go?

Everything took off at 12 noon in the vicinity of Rotterdam, at the restaurant Vlietzicht, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch. We then started our 65 km bike adventure, jumping on an exciting tour from Rotterdam via Delfland to the North Sea coast.

We admired the natural landscapes, both green plains and the calm sea. The great weather blessed us for the whole day, which made everything even more enjoyable. We stopped for coffee at the beach to then start an extra challenge on the Maeslantkering for those who still had good legs!

At the end of the rides, we finally returned to the restaurant and shared drinks, bitterballen and good stories, while toasting to our successes and the promising future ahead.

A parallel with SAP Security

Leo van Vliet was not the only extraordinary guest. This year, our CEO, Christoph Nagy, and our CTO, Ivan Mans, also joined us for this fun ride.

Our CEO later better defined his attitude to this challenge on LinkedIn, drawing a parallel to a well-planned approach to SAP Security. His proactive approach, investing in gear and prioritizing training, reflects the importance of readiness in cybersecurity. Regular training and preparedness efforts help organizations fortify their defenses and be resilient against unforeseen incidents, which can strike at any time. He also mentioned that riding in a group is 30% more efficient than cycling alone. In fact, leaders break the wind, and you can benefit from this advantage by riding in their wind shadow. The same happens with security: “Cybersecurity becomes an efficient team play when the entire organization acts in line with similar prioritization and awareness.”

A crucial teaching for a great day

Cycling provided us a powerful lesson regarding the importance of preparation, consistency and team playing. We cheered the precious chance to connect with fellow partners, customers, and members of our team and exploring potential collaborations in a convivial atmosphere. A big shoutout goes to our Sales Director Europe Jaap van der Meer for organizing, once again, such a successful and joyful event.