What started with a small group of riders in 2015, has grown into one of the Enbridge Tour Alberta for Cancer’s most spirited and committed teams. Together, Team NOV has raised more than $1.5 million in support of the Alberta Cancer Foundation, consistently ranking among the top fundraising teams.
Their efforts go beyond individual fundraising. NOV recruits sponsorships and hosts internal matches to help ensure every rider reaches their fundraising goal and makes it to the start line. Out on the course, they’re known for waiting at the finish line until the very last rider comes in — cheering them home as part of one community. In 2025, they also took home the jersey contest win and were the first team to kick off a finish-line dance party on Sunday, showing once again that Team NOV is as full of heart as it is determination.
A Team That Keeps Growing
Team NOV has never been just a corporate team. What started with employees has expanded to include solo riders, survivors, and members of the Tour community who’ve joined through friendships and connections built over the years. Their riders bring diverse stories, but they all share the same goal: creating a future where cancer no longer has the final word.
Riders Who Inspire
Renée Vanderwolf: Seventeen Years of Dedication
From her home in Edmonton, Renée Vanderwolf has been raising money for the Alberta Cancer Foundation for 17 years. She began in 2008 with the Weekend to End Breast Cancer, a two-day, 60 km walk, and has been part of the Ride and now the Tour ever since.
What started as a personal challenge has become a lifelong mission.
“I’ve been fundraising for this cause for over 15 years! It started as a personal challenge… It has become more important in my life. As hard as I will be pushing on the ride in 2025, I am pushing even harder to hit a fundraising record.”
Renée’s consistency and passion embody the NOV spirit — committed, resilient, and deeply personal.
Lachlan Gledhil: A First-Time Rider Paying It Forward
Lachlan Gledhil joined the Tour for the first time in 2025, recruited by his good friend Eddie May, who joined Team NOV as a solo rider in 2024. Their story shows how NOV continues to grow by welcoming solo riders and building a true community team.
For Lachlan, the ride is especially meaningful.
“In 2014, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Thanks to early detection and incredible care, she made a full recovery. I also ride for my friend Eddie, who lost his mom to brain cancer, and for the Backman family. At Team NOV, no one rides alone.”
As a first-time rider, Lachlan represents the next generation of Team NOV — carrying forward the values of connection, resilience, and hope.
Theo Grier: Riding as a Survivor
Theo Grier has participated in the Tour seven times, always in honour of friends and family who faced cancer. But in late 2023, his perspective shifted when he was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML).
“In late 2023, I was diagnosed with leukemia. Just 20 years ago this would have been fatal within a few years. Thanks to research, I take one pill a day and my prognosis is good. I’m a lucky man — and I ride so others can have the same hope.”
Theo’s story shows the direct impact of research and fundraising: because of advances in treatment, what was once a fatal diagnosis is now a manageable condition. His ride as a survivor is a powerful reminder of why the Tour matters.
More Than a Team
From dedicated employees like Renée, to new solo riders like Lachlan, to survivors like Theo, Team NOV has become a family. They are a team known for showing up, lifting each other up, and celebrating every victory.
As a Northern Lights sponsor since 2018, NOV has been a leader not only in fundraising but in creating community — proving year after year that when we ride together, we create hope together.
Check out Team NOV’s team fundraising page for Alberta Cancer Foundation