Jim van den Berg

Jim van den Berg is founder and CEO of JOIN Sports, the company behind the JOIN Cycling training app. As an human performance scientist, he is specialized in training and coaching of cyclists. From this expertise, the idea for an smart and machine learning training plan based on polarized training within cycling was born in 2019.

After studying human performance science at the University of Amsterdam and a master’s degree in Sport & Exercise Psychology at the University of Montpellier (France), Jim founded the training company Robic in 2011. Prior to this, he was a trainer with the training company Webtrainer run by Adrie van Diemen. Robic focused on training and coaching cyclists through training guidance, exercise testing and bikefittings. In Amsterdam – next to the Velodrome and the Sloten cycling track – a center was created with multiple human performance scientists, physiotherapists, a sports dietician and sports doctor to provide all the guidance a cyclist could want.

Cycling trainer Jim van den Berg

Prior to his career as a trainer in coaching cyclists, Jim cycled competitively himself from the age of 14, the last 5 years of which were at semi-professional level. For example, he won several amateur classics, rode podium finishes in the Ronde van Midden-Nederland and the Ronde van Noord-Holland and finished 11th at the Dutch Championships among the pros in 2014.

In 2017, he ended his cycling career to become team manager at the continental cycling team Delta Cycling. He was also behind the world hour record attempts of Thomas Dekker and Dion Beukeboom. Today, he is associated with the World Tour formation Intermarche Wanty Group Gobert with the company Cyclinglab and is the personal cycling trainer of Taco van der Hoorn.

Jim van den Berg in the media

Together with former professional cyclist Laurens ten Dam and Stefan Bolt, Jim creates the Beter Worden Podcast, under supervision of Live Slow Ride Fast Media. A podcast about how to improve on the bike. He is also regularly interviewed in the media in the field of training and coaching cyclists and can be seen in the NPO1 television program De Tijd van Ons Leven. In this program, Rutger Castricum and Chatilla van Grinsven take on the challenge of becoming all but last at the world time trial championships in four months.

De Tijd van Ons Leven – Jim van den Berg

During the TV program “De Tijd van Ons Leven“, two Dutch celebrities take on a sports challenge. With Jim van den Berg as their cycling coach, Rutger Castricum and Chatilla van Grinsven strive to transform themselves within a few months into a time trialist of professional level. With a participation in the World Cycling Championships in Australia, they conclude the project.

Getting Better Podcast

With this weekly podcast, the Jim, Laurens ten Dam and Stefan Bolt highlight various appealing topics within cycling, with the goal of getting better on the bike. Tips & Tricks that help every cyclist, from amateur to pro, increase progression.”

The Parool

Jim van den Berg was interviewed by Tom Grosfeld of Het Parool. This included the background of smart & personalized training plans for the cyclist and cyclist. This is generated fully automatically in cycling app JOIN.”

NPO Radio1

During the Tour de France, Jim van den Berg will be a guest on NPO Radio1. In ‘De Nieuws BV’ Jim tells how he prepared Taco van der Hoorn to perfection for some stages in the Tour de France where Taco was eager to put in a good performance.”

RTL Late Night

In preparation for the world endurance record, Thomas Dekker and Jim van den Berg, on a broadcast of RTL Late Night, explain to Humberto Tan how the bike specially developed for this purpose is put together. The world endurance record attempt took place on February 25, 2015 in Aguascalientes, Mexico

Because I want to

Jim guided the mission of amateur rider with the challenge of cycling 650 kilometers and 14 mountains non-stop. A journey of a year of living like a pro, resulting in a beautiful documentary about that unforgettable ride.”