The Wielermeerdaagse Noordenveld-Westerkwartier has two stages this year. The organization actually wanted to go back to a six-day event, but it cannot be arranged.
It is difficult to find new committees per village after a number of organizers withdrew. That is why the peloton will only ride in Peize and De Wilp this year.
The multi-day does not stop. “The plug does not go out. Because if you do it will never come back,” says chairman Hindrik Aalders of the Stichting Wielermeerdaagse Noordenveld-Westerkwartier.
He is concerned about the future of the cycling event. The aim was to organize six competitions this year. But only Peize and De Wilp are left. On Friday 30 June and 1 July, the Elite, U23 and Amateurs of both women and men will race in Peize and De Wilp respectively. The Sports class will also be driving in De Wilp on Saturday.
In December the committee in Leek withdrew. Nieuw-Roden had to drop out due to a strong decline of their volunteers, because there were only three people left who could pull the cart. “We then went looking for other villages, but we were unable to put together an organizing committee. Partly because it was not possible to find volunteers in the short term,” says Aalders.
The Wielermeerdaagse wants to go back to a six-day event in the coming years, preferably in the form it was once intended: races in Noordenveld and Westerkwartier. Aalders: “But if that is not an option, we may have to change the articles of association. This means that we can also involve organizations that fall outside our region.”
In recent years, the multi-day has also been shortened, partly due to corona measures.