Dutch cycling fans have every reason to be excited in the third week of October. Not only because the NIBC Tour of Holland returns to the calendar, but also because the organizers anticipate a strong field of competitors. Top sprinters like Tim Merlier, Olav Kooij, Arnaud De Lie, and Fabio Jakobsen are all expected at the start on Tuesday, October 14.
Riders such as Christophe Laporte and John Degenkolb will also line up, alongside both Dutch champions: Danny van Poppel (road race) and Daan Hoole (time trial). With former Dutch champion Pascal Eenkhoorn and fan favorites like Taco van der Hoorn and Mike Teunissen, the organization has succeeded in assembling a strong initial roster. The NIBC Tour of Holland returns to the calendar this year as a UCI 2.1 race and features six stages.
Race director Roxane Knetemann is thrilled with the strong starting field. "With the NIBC Tour of Holland, we bring a race that is typically Dutch: innovative, accessible, and connected to our culture. We do this with a very strong lineup – riders who have won stages in the Tour, Giro, and Vuelta, and classics like Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo. Combined with our unique stages, this makes the NIBC Tour of Holland a cycling festival for the fans and a challenge for the riders."
NIBC CEO Nick Jue - photo: Cor Vos
"We are proud of the strong field of participants announced today," said Nick Jue, CEO of NIBC Bank, on Wednesday afternoon. "It is especially special that the prologue takes place in The Hague, the city where NIBC Bank has been established for eighty years. With stages across the country, the NIBC Tour of Holland truly brings the race to the people." The classification jerseys – provided by Craft – have also been unveiled. The general classification leader wears the orange jersey, the blue is for the best sprinter, the white for the best young rider, and the red is for the most combative. Each day, a panel of experts, together with the public, decides who is the most attacking rider of the day.
The Tour of the Netherlands kicks off with an evening prologue in The Hague. This is followed by a likely sprint stage to Dordrecht, an individual time trial in Etten-Leur, and then two hilly stages through South Limburg and Drenthe. On the final day, a hilly gravel stage through Gelderland is planned. The finish on Sunday, October 19, will be in Arnhem. Organizer TIG Sports sets up a full cycling festival at every start and finish location, with numerous activities for young (and older) cycling fans.
Knetemann presenting the jerseys of the secondary classifications - photo: Cor Vos
NIBC Tour of HollandDen HaagArnhem
| Date | Stage | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14-10 | 0 | Den Haag | Den Haag |
| 15-10 | 1 | Dordrecht | Dordrecht |
| 16-10 | 2 | Etten-Leur | Etten-Leur |
| 17-10 | 3 | Sittard-Geleen | Watersley |
| 18-10 | 4 | Emmen | Col du Vam (Wijster) |
| 19-10 | 5 | Arnhem | Arnhem |
