The Benelux Tour is canceled this year. The organization of the only multi-day stage race in the UCI WorldTour in Belgium and the Netherlands announced on Tuesday that it cannot properly organize the stage race.
The competition, which in the past bore the names Eneco Tour and BinckBank Tour, was originally planned from August 29 to September 4. Together with the UCI and the two national cycling federations, the organization is looking for a date in 2023.
According to the organization, there are several problems due to the overcrowded cycling calendar. For example, the Dutch police would not be able to supervise the journeys in our country.
In addition, organizer Golazo had problems planning the arrival times and the associated TV broadcasts. The broadcasting times of other matches would force the organization to schedule arrival times that become uninteresting for local supporters and TV viewers.
The teams would also have to deal with impossible starting times and displacements. The Benelux Tour would partly overlap with the Tour of Spain, which starts on August 19 in Utrecht.
The Italian Sonny Colbrelli won the Benelux Tour last year.
The Italian Sonny Colbrelli won the Benelux Tour last year. Photo: Getty Images
‘Very unfortunate for cycling fans’
“Shifting the Benelux Tour to 2023 is a great pity for cycling fans in the Low Countries, as it is for our team that has been preparing for months,” says Christophe Impens of Golazo.
“But it is a necessary decision and the only solution to avoid problems. All parties involved will only benefit from working on a better and stronger Benelux Tour for the coming years.”
The Benelux Tour was won last year by the Italian Sonny Colbrelli. Mathieu van der Poel was the last Dutch winner in 2020.