Jip Steman, a member of the Universe Team from the Netherlands, arrived in Kupang on Saturday (September 6, 2025). Shortly after landing at El Tari Airport and being escorted to his hotel, Jip immediately assembled his bike and practiced around the city.
Accompanied by LO officer Savitri Amaria, who followed him in her vehicle, Jip covered 30 kilometers of looping through the hilly terrain. The 26-year-old rider then returned to his hotel and rested. Jip seemed to feel no jet lag or fatigue from the long-distance flight.
Jip stated that he only managed to sleep for four hours during a layover in Jakarta after a direct flight from Amsterdam.
“He arrived in Jakarta at 10:00 PM WIB, transited for eight hours, then flew again at 6:00 AM and arrived in Kupang at 10:00 AM. He rested briefly, then unpacked his bike box and started training at 3:00 PM,” explained Vitri.
Jip is an all-rounder. A versatile rider who can be relied upon to race on both flat terrain and uphill roads.
Jip told Savitri that his team was attracted to the Tour de Entete for several reasons. The natural beauty of East Nusa Tenggara and the length of the race, which covers 1,500 km over 10 stages, were strong draws.
“The many stages also present exciting new challenges to face. Including the potential lack of facilities in some cities, survival is a crucial aspect of the race,” he said.
Jim is determined to lead his team to the podium in the general classification.
Universe is one of the strongest UCI continental teams and has a strong chance of winning.
In addition to Jip, the team also includes Kenny Nijssen (35), a climber who achieved fourth place in the general classification at the Tour of Ijen in Banyuwangi a month ago. Kenny has won the KOM several times in that event.
Four other riders from Team Universe are still competing in the Tour of Shanghai in China. They will arrive in Kupang on Tuesday (September 9, 2025) morning.
Today, the committee also welcomed two members of Team 7Eleven from the Philippines. They joined the team’s riders who arrived earlier. (*)
