We bike to support children with critical illnesses.
Team Rynkeby is a community of 2,300 cyclists and 500 helpers across 8 countries, riding to Paris for a good cause. Since 2002, the international cycling team has raised over 849 million DKK for children with critical illnesses.
We respect each other
We take responsibility
We are committed
We are evolving
We pursue success together
Part of Something Greater
Every year, riders and helpers don the yellow colors to be part of a project where cycling, community, and a noble cause go hand in hand.
Participants are everyday people from all walks of life, regardless of age, profession, or fitness level. Some have countless kilometers under their belts, while others are getting on a racing bike for the first time. Some join as dedicated volunteers, eager to assist with everything that propels the team forward.
We cycle to Paris for children with critical illnesses, but the journey begins long before the first stage.
Team Rynkeby is a community that grows throughout the entire season. When you take part, you become part of a movement that extends beyond the kilometers you cover on the road. It is during the many hours spent together that you truly feel why this project is greater than any individual participant.
Local engagement with international reach
It all starts with the local teams, where riders and supporters come together for training, planning, sponsorship activities, and community initiatives, uniting cycling, camaraderie, and fundraising into a shared effort.
At the same time, every team is part of an international project with a common direction, where countries, teams, and participants work towards the same values and the same ambition to make a difference for children with critical illnesses.
Purpose Above All Else
The purpose is the reason we ride, and therefore fundraising is a central part of Team Rynkeby.
Through close partnerships with over 4,500 sponsors and local events, riders and volunteers raise funds for organizations that support children with critical illnesses and their families.
Since its inception in 2002, Team Rynkeby has raised more than 849 million kroner, a sum that reflects many years of effort from participants, sponsors, partners, and local communities.
What do the funds go towards?
When we say that the purpose comes first, we mean it. Participants cover their own expenses for participation. Everything from the racing bike and the yellow outfit to hotels and meals along the way is at their own cost.
Our central costs are covered by Eckes-Granini, the owner of Rynkeby Foods, in collaboration with the foundations and partners that support the project. Additionally, a maximum of 12 percent of the funds raised goes towards administration.
Our Heartfelt Cause
The funds raised go to organizations that support children with critical illnesses and their families.
We lift each other up
Our values guide how we collaborate across teams, countries, and roles.
Behind the Yellow Jersey
Behind the yellow jerseys stands an international organization, local teams, and volunteers who make the project a success year after year.
The Story Behind the Yellow Jerseys
It all began in 2002 with a visionary idea. Knud Vilstrup, a passionate recreational cyclist associated with juice producer Rynkeby Foods, had the thought of cycling from Denmark to Paris to witness the conclusion of the Tour de France. He successfully convinced the management to sponsor juice and travel expenses, on the condition that he could gather at least 10 other riders for the journey.
In the spring of 2002, the team "Team Rynkeby" was born. Eleven recreational cyclists and a single support person in a minibus set off from Denmark towards the French capital. The journey was tough, beautiful, and full of challenges, but they persevered.
It was never the plan for this to be a charity project. They did it for the experience and the sense of community. However, the pioneers were so adept at raising sponsorships that they returned home with an unexpected surplus. They decided to donate all of the money to a hospital department for children with cancer.
Knud Vilstrup subsequently convinced Rynkeby Foods to continue the project. What started with 11 cycling enthusiasts has now evolved into one of Europe's largest charity cycling teams.
TEAM RYNKEBY'S LOCAL TEAMS
More countries are joining
Team Rynkeby has grown from a single Danish team to an international community with participants from multiple countries. Over the years, new countries have joined, each contributing with their own teams, local initiatives, and support for the collective fundraising efforts.
Yearly Development
Since the inaugural ride in 2002, Team Rynkeby's fundraising efforts have grown into something no one dared to dream about back then. Year after year, the fundraising has increased as more teams, countries, and sponsors have joined the cause.
