NIBC Bank Follows Rabobank in Making Major Entry into Dutch Cycling

After Rabobank, NIBC Bank is the second Dutch bank this year to enter the world of cycling. As the main and title sponsor of the Tour of Holland, NIBC Bank will take its first steps into sports sponsorship this October. Nick Jue, CEO of NIBC Bank, tells WielerFlits that it is a deliberate choice to back cycling.

It didn’t take long before NIBC Bank saw the opportunities in partnering with the Tour of Holland. Sports marketer Frank van den Wall Bake made the connection with organizer TIG Sports. “In the past, we were primarily a business bank,” Jue emphasizes. “Over the past year, our profile has partly changed, and now 75% of us are a retail bank focusing online on the consumer market. Brand awareness has suddenly become very important. That is where we need to invest now. Sports sponsorship suits us perfectly because positive emotion is quickly linked to a brand. The Netherlands has 23 million bicycles, so as a truly Dutch brand, we felt cycling was a perfect fit for us.”

The Tour of the Netherlands was last held 21 years ago. TIG Sports is bringing the event back to the calendar in an innovative way, similar to their fresh approach with the F1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort and the KLM Open golf tournament. They aim to gradually build a new concept for cycling in the coming years.

“Of course, it’s great for us that the race starts in The Hague with an evening prologue, the city where we’ve had our headquarters for eighty years,” Jue continues. “But it’s equally important that during these six days, various regions are visited. After all, we have customers all over the country. The route is designed to incorporate different elements of cycling, and the public can see the riders several times a day at the same spot.”

Nick Jue, CEO NIBC Bank

For how many years is NIBC Bank committing to the Tour of Holland?
“We do not disclose the amount or duration of the contract. In any case, our intention is to do this for multiple years. We want to help develop the Tour of Holland and also give the race its own identity. Adding new elements every year and trying to improve it.”

Does NIBC Bank also intend to do more in cycling beyond just supporting the Tour of Holland?
“Yes, cycling is incredibly popular in the Netherlands. Also among our employees and customers. With the NIBC Tour of Holland, you have the impact of one week. We are exploring what else we can do around this race. For example, we are looking at opportunities connected to the six recreational rides organized in the lead-up to the Tour. This is also a new step for us. In the past, we occasionally supported a local football or hockey club. But on this scale, we have never ventured into sports sponsorship before.”

Rabobank returned to cycling this year after twelve years as a sponsor. Is it a coincidence that you are now embracing cycling as well?
“We are not comparable in size to Rabobank. At this moment, we have consciously opted for a race and not a cycling team. Rabobank is returning to cycling after twelve years. For us, these are the first steps into this elite sport.”

“Rabobank’s return to cycling is a positive signal for the sport. Banks care a lot about reputation, image, and compliance. It shows that the image of cycling is good again. We have chosen the ‘safe’ option of sponsoring a race, and we hope to take further steps in cycling year after year.”