There is a new impetus for cycling in Germany: with the founding of the NGIY Verein zur Förderung des deutschen Radsports e.V. (Association for the Promotion of German Cycling), an independent initiative has been formed to provide targeted support to young German cyclists on their way to the top of the world rankings.
The acronym NGIY simply describes the mission to get the next German professional cyclist into the yellow jersey at the Tour de France (English: next German in Yellow). It was founded at the Mountain View Hotel in Willingen in the Sauerland region – at a time when German cycling is caught between tradition and change. The Tour de France remains the world's biggest sporting spectacle, and in 1997 Jan Ullrich made history as the only German winner to date. Almost three decades later, in 2025, Florian Lipowitz came third, once again putting Germany in the spotlight and sparking palpable pride in a nation waiting for its next triumph in the yellow jersey. Motivation for big dreams.
The meeting to establish the association was chaired by entrepreneur and idea generator Stefan Penno: “Germany has first-class engineering, leading bicycle manufacturers, innovative drive technology, and high-quality clothing and accessories – a product landscape that sets international standards. At the same time, it is clear that so far we have not succeeded in systematically bringing young talent to the top.”
The NGIY Association for the Promotion of German Cycling sees this situation as an opportunity for a new start: a network of expertise, support, and entrepreneurial courage.
Olympic medalist Robert Förstemann from Berlin was elected president of the association, with Bernd Sudhoff joining him as vice president. Sudhoff grew up in cycling and knows the scene inside out. In addition to Roger Kluge, three-time Madison world champion, and Marcel Meisen, reigning German cyclocross champion, the executive committee also includes Frankfurt lawyer Nicolas Dumont from the renowned law firm Graf von Westphalen as legal advisor and Timo Jaschke, senior wealth management advisor at DZ Privatbank, as treasurer. The advisory board is headed by two-time Olympic champion Kristina Vogel and Frank Richter, a cycling enthusiast and content creator from Magdeburg. The founders presented “Tourteufel” Didi Senft as ambassador. With his unmistakable recognition value and equipped with the new club bus, he will raise global awareness for the NGIY™ mission in the future. All members who wish to do so will have their names printed on the vehicle—as a visible sign of shared conviction. Vice President Bernd Sudhoff adds: “We want to make cycling dreams a reality and are targeting people, partners, and investors who want to actively promote the development of German cycling—with the aim of not leaving sporting success to chance, but making it happen in a targeted manner.” It's an ambitious mission that makes the path to the yellow jersey conceivable and tangible once again for talented German cyclists.
The meeting to establish the association was chaired by entrepreneur and idea generator Stefan Penno: “Germany has first-class engineering, leading bicycle manufacturers, innovative drive technology, and high-quality clothing and accessories – a product landscape that sets international standards. At the same time, it is clear that so far we have not succeeded in systematically bringing young talent to the top.”
The NGIY Association for the Promotion of German Cycling sees this situation as an opportunity for a new start: a network of expertise, support, and entrepreneurial courage.
Olympic medalist Robert Förstemann from Berlin was elected president of the association, with Bernd Sudhoff joining him as vice president. Sudhoff grew up in cycling and knows the scene inside out. In addition to Roger Kluge, three-time Madison world champion, and Marcel Meisen, reigning German cyclocross champion, the executive committee also includes Frankfurt lawyer Nicolas Dumont from the renowned law firm Graf von Westphalen as legal advisor and Timo Jaschke, senior wealth management advisor at DZ Privatbank, as treasurer. The advisory board is headed by two-time Olympic champion Kristina Vogel and Frank Richter, a cycling enthusiast and content creator from Magdeburg. The founders presented “Tourteufel” Didi Senft as ambassador. With his unmistakable recognition value and equipped with the new club bus, he will raise global awareness for the NGIY™ mission in the future. All members who wish to do so will have their names printed on the vehicle—as a visible sign of shared conviction. Vice President Bernd Sudhoff adds: “We want to make cycling dreams a reality and are targeting people, partners, and investors who want to actively promote the development of German cycling—with the aim of not leaving sporting success to chance, but making it happen in a targeted manner.” It's an ambitious mission that makes the path to the yellow jersey conceivable and tangible once again for talented German cyclists.
