Memorial page for André Drege
This page has been created to honor and remember André – a beloved son, brother, and friend.
We hope it can be a place of peace, reflection, and togetherness – a digital space where we can preserve the memories of André and let his life and influence live on in our hearts.
Whether you knew André well or only met him once, your words matter. Our memories live on – and together we can create a vivid and lasting picture of who André was to so many.
Under Memory Book, you can share a few words in remembrance of André – a thought, a memory, or something you wish you had said. You are also welcome to include a photo – perhaps from cycling, travels, or a special moment you shared.
Thank you for sharing. 💛
Biography
André Miguel Bertelsen Drege was born in Ålesund on May 4, 1999.
André grew up in Stranda in a large and loving family, with his mom Vivian and dad Jørgen, and his siblings Niklas José, Sander Emilio, and Leah Aurelia. From an early age, André loved being active. We went hiking in the mountains, he played football and handball, skied cross-country, and went alpine skiing in winter. He enjoyed fishing for crayfish in the mountains and for bigger fish in the sea.
André was always good at what he did. From the time he was little, we saw the qualities he carried with him – independence, attention to detail, and patience. Qualities that would become important for his great passion later in life.
Over time, he became more and more interested in road cycling, following Tour de France and the classic races closely. In 2014, he joined his parents on a cycling trip around Volda, Folkestad, and Fyrde – and that was the turning point.
With his confirmation money, he bought his first road bike and began cycling among the mountains at home in Stranda.
In the autumn of 2015, he started at Stranda Upper Secondary School. Later that fall, he attended a trial period at the Norwegian College of Elite Sport in Lillehammer – Road Cycling. André applied to NTG and completed his second and third years of upper secondary education there. It was here he learned that patience was key – top results would come in about seven years.
In 2018, he began a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Administration at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences in Lillehammer. He studied part-time, first 50%, then 25%, so he could continue cycling with Lillehammer Cycle Club.
In 2022, he joined Team Coop, though already in autumn 2021 he rode as a stagiaire with his new team. In March, he took his first victory at the International Rhodes Grand Prix. Later that September, he won Gylne Gutuer in what would be his last race for Team Coop.
From 2023, André rode for Team Coop Repsol. Despite many weeks off the bike due to illness, he achieved 3rd place overall at the Tour of Rhodes and won a pro kermesse race in Belgium. With the team, André traveled to Africa and Asia for new races.
After the 2023 season, André decided to go all-in on cycling and put his studies on hold. He returned to his former coach from his Lillehammer days and committed fully to Team Coop Repsol in 2024. Training in late autumn and winter was intense, with alternative sessions and detailed planning. Combined with patience, the results came at the start of the season. Within a few weeks, the team had taken seven UCI victories.
He signed with an agent and, in early June, signed a contract with one of the world’s best cycling teams – the WorldTour team Team Jayco AlUla.
On July 6, 2024, the 4th stage of the Tour of Austria crossed the Großglockner High Alpine Road. It became his last race.
André’s Headstone
We spent many months designing André’s headstone. It took time, but when it was finished, we felt a deep sense of peace. The stone is full of symbolism – it tells something about who André was, what he loved, and what he meant to us.
At the very top of the front, you’ll find a cycling logo. His father created this after André signed with Team Coop and began winning races. When he won Gylne Gutuer in Norway, his parents painted this logo three times along the course. In a TV 2 interview after the victory, they stood almost directly above one of the drawings on the asphalt. The logo had to be included here.
In the middle of the stone is a verse – a connection to both mom and dad. It was written by his father in the days between André coming home and the funeral. Every evening, a candle was lit outside where he lay, and every morning it was removed. The verse is partly inspired by the song Himmelhøge sti by Elle Melle and is a verse his mother held especially dear.
The white stripe running down the stone represents the road down the Großglockner High Alpine Road – a few kilometers of mountain road that became deeply significant to us.
On the back, there is an engraving of André at the moment he wins Memorial Fred de Bruyne in Berlare, Belgium. A beautiful image and a symbol of road cycling and Team Coop Repsol, the team he rode for.
Below the image, you’ll find a four-leaf clover – a symbol that came early from his siblings. The clover represents Niklas, André, Sander, and Leah. They also suggested that it should say:
“Deeply loved – Deeply missed” at the bottom of the stone.
These words hold so much meaning.
The number 171 is placed as a symbol – the start number André had in the Tour of Austria 2024. It became a hallmark and has since been used as #171 and #forAndré.
The name of this page – forevigdrege.no – also has its own story. It comes from a laminated picture the siblings made with the text For evig Drege (“Forever Drege”) and placed at their grandfather’s grave. Now this page carries the same name. Use #forevigDrege whenever you feel like it.