Meet Joël!
After 15 years at the Luxrollers (wheelchair basketball), Joël was looking for a new challenge. In 2016, he participated in the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.
About Joël:
In 1994, Joël had an accident that completely changed his life. Since that day he lives under the motto ‘never give up’ in his private life as well as in sports. “In individual sports you are your only enemy. In the end your own mistakes are deciding. Your teammates can help you to get in front, but at some point, you will be on your own.” That’s exactly the challenge Joël was looking for when he decided to change his hobby. Handbiking was the logical choice due to the beautiful roads and paths along the Moselle. Along the Moselle valley, Joël trains together with his teammate Luciano Fratini: “You have to push each other and to motivate each other, otherwise you won’t make it.” Giving up was never an option for Joël: "From the beginning, Rio was the goal. The Paralympics in Brazil were the dream." Thereby, Handbiking is certainly no easy version of bicycling: “We have to do everything with our hands. A usual cyclist manages to exert 300 to 400 watts, whereas the professional handbikers only ride with 180 to 200 watts during a race. A conventional bicycle weighs around 7 kg, my handbike weighs 12,5 kg. The only advantage we have, is that we are more streamlined due to the lower position.”
Joël's Moselle:
“The Moselle is the most beautiful region in the country. You won’t miss anything here. On one hand you have the flat Moselle street and its charming horizons, on the other hand you have the majestic vineyards. Moreover, you have a beautiful foreland where you can range through the forests. Along the 42 kilometers, you find everything you need for a short vacation: from the local market in Schengen to the marina in Schwebsange; a river cruise, up and down the Moselle, where you will see everything; you should visit the sluices; wine tastings and cellar visits should not be missing as well, the same as a visit of the wine museum in Ehnen; during the winter season you can even ice-skate in Remich; culinarily you will find everything you wish for anyway. If you like it, you can go to the Casino 2OOO in Mondorf-les-Bains, even the conditions for fishing are perfect. And finally, you have the Baggerweier in Remerschen to relax. The Moselle region scores especially along the river with its good accessibility. Design for all is standard here. “Joël’s enthusiasm is quite contagious, he could probably go on with recommendations for hours. When asked what makes the Moselle special, he has a simple and plausible answer: “Every single part of the Moselle region makes it special. “
Joël's world:
