Hindrik Aalders is the chairman of the starting place in Assen, he is happy that the cycling event can continue. “Finally a regular edition again! We had to miss one year and last year it was an edition without experience posts because of corona. Fortunately, we now have a full program again. We may start with an extremely hot day, but it is not a competition, so everyone can adapt to the weather.”
Just after eight, everyone could get on their bicycles and, according to Aalders, hundreds of people were already eager to leave. Starting earlier was not an option, he said. “We are with our volunteers, there are about fifty. They have to set out very early to plot the routes. I couldn’t let them get out of bed even earlier, it stops somewhere,” says chairman Aalders. According to him, the volunteers are doing everything they can to keep everyone safe and healthy, even with these temperatures.