Rock-Solid lineup for the first NIBC Tour of Holland

Roxane Knetemann, race director of the NIBC Tour of Holland:
"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 field of participants – riders who have won stages in the Tour, Giro, and Vuelta, and classics such as Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo. Combined with our unique stages, this makes the NIBC Tour of Holland a cycling festival for fans and a challenge for the riders. Personally, it is special for me that we are creating a race that the Netherlands can be proud of. We call this – The Dutch Way."

World-Class Riders in the Netherlands

The lineup is impressive: winners of major classics and stages in the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta. Among the riders coming to the Netherlands are:

• Tim Merlier (Soudal – Quickstep) – European Champion, multiple stage winner in the Tour and Giro.
• Olav Kooij (Visma | Lease a Bike) – three-time Giro stage winner.
• Fabio Jakobsen (Team Picnic – PostNL) – five Vuelta stage wins and a Tour stage win.
• Yves Lampaert (Soudal – Quickstep) – stage winner in the Tour and Giro.
• Christophe Laporte (Visma | Lease a Bike) – winner of Gent-Wevelgem and a Tour stage.
• Arnaud de Lie (Lotto) – winner of the 2025 Renewi Tour and Bretagne Classic.
• Danny van Poppel (Red Bull – Bora Hansgrohe) – Dutch champion, Vuelta stage winner.
• Daan Hoole (Lidl-Trek) – two-time Dutch time trial champion, Giro stage winner.
• John Degenkolb (Team Picnic – PostNL) – winner of Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix, Gent-Wevelgem, a Tour stage, and ten Vuelta stages.
• Mike Teunissen (XDS Astana Team) – Tour stage winner.
• Nico Denz (Red Bull – Bora Hansgrohe) – three-time Giro stage winner, including this year.
• Taco van der Hoorn (Team NL) – Giro stage winner.

In addition, young talents and fan favorites to watch include Pascal Eenkhoorn (Soudal – Quickstep) and Cameron Rogers (Lidl-Trek, only 20 years old).

Stages with Character

Besides an impressive rider lineup, the NIBC Tour of Holland features a route that showcases the best of the Netherlands.

• Prologue The Hague (4 km) – After the Dutch Depart Opening Ceremony, an evening circuit in and around Zuiderpark, the start city of peace and justice right on the Dutch coast.
• Stage 1 Dordrecht (119 km) – Starting in Holland’s oldest city, with five loops along Kinderdijk, home of the iconic windmills, finishing on the Zwijndrechtsebrug.
• Stage 2 Etten-Leur (15 km) – Individual time trial past the Van Gogh Church, the Moeierboom, and the National Cycling Museum. A stage honoring Dutch masters of art.
• Stage 3 Limburg (145 km) – Across South Limburg with three final circuits around Sittard, finishing at Watersley, including climbs of Keutenberg and Cauberg.
• Stage 4 Drenthe (159 km) – From Emmen through the historic heart of Drenthe with its hunebeds, crossing the finish atop the VAM Mountain 12 times. A tough stage with gradients exceeding 15%.
• Stage 5 Arnhem (159 km) – The final stage and gravel stage in Gelderland, including the John Frost Bridge and gravel sections in De Hoge Veluwe National Park, the Netherlands’ largest and most beautiful nature reserve, finishing on Zijpendaalseweg.

See link to roadbook 

Nick Jue, CEO of NIBC Bank:
"We are proud of the strong rider lineup announced today. It is especially meaningful that the prologue takes place in The Hague, the city where NIBC Bank has been located for 80 years. With stages across the entire country, the NIBC Tour of Holland truly brings the race to the people."

Classification Jerseys

The NIBC Tour of Holland features several classification jerseys, designed and supplied by Craft. Naturally, the leader of the general classification wears orange, but there is also a blue jersey for the best sprinter and a white jersey for the best young talent. In addition, the Tour of Holland introduces a striking newcomer: the red combative jersey, awarded daily to the most aggressive rider. This special jersey is determined by both a professional jury and the public.

Cycling Festival

The NIBC Tour of Holland is not just a race, but a cycling festival. It begins with the Dutch Depart Opening Ceremony for the Prologue at The Hague Sports Campus.

At every stage location – both start and finish – the cycling festival comes to life with activities for visitors and fans: fat bike races, hands-on activities for young and old, spectacular BMX stunts, fan zones, partner initiatives, and official recreational rides.