Successful Opening Stage of the Tour of Holland in Dordrecht: A Dutch Race with a Finish on an Iconic Bridge

Race director Roxane Knetemann looked back on the first day with satisfaction:

“What a fantastic finale and a beautiful sprint! Everything went really well today. We raced through an urban area, which is quite challenging for organizing a cycling event – lots of traffic, street furniture, and spectators to consider – but it all went perfectly. When we entered the Alblasserwaard region, you could see the villages turning out in full force. People were lining the roads everywhere, enthusiastic and cheerful, even though we literally brought the whole region to a standstill for a while. That was amazing to see.”

“It was a tough race. The motorbike escorts especially deserve a huge compliment,” Knetemann added. “But as an organization, we did everything we could to make it as safe as possible. Thanks to the efforts of our teams, traffic controllers, and local emergency services, we managed to run a complex stage very smoothly – and at a truly unique location.”

New this year is the ‘attackers’ jersey’, a classification jersey that rewards the most combative rider based on public voting. Fans could vote for their favorite through a QR code and on social media. A total of 1,572 people cast their votes. The first winner is Jelle Bouma, who attacked from the very start and convinced the public with his fighting spirit.

“The attackers’ jersey makes the fans part of the race,” said Knetemann. “That fits perfectly with the modern, interactive Tour of Holland we want to be.”

Finally, Knetemann proudly reflected on the sporting outcome:

“Let’s not forget we also witnessed a fantastic bunch sprint. That’s what we should really be talking about: a fair sprint, no elbows or pushing – just pure competition. We have a fantastic winner – maybe not the Dutchman we were hoping for, but certainly a deserving one. That makes it even better for us as organizers.”

The opening stage not only marks the return of a multi-day tour through the Netherlands but also the start of a renewed event that puts innovation, safety, and fan experience at its core.

The next stage, an individual time trial in Etten-Leur, takes place on October 16.

General Classification

1. Jakob Söderqvist (SWE) – Lidl-Trek – 2h 37’ 31”
2. Cameron Rogers (AUS) – Lidl-Trek – 2h 37’ 31”
3. Ethan Edward Hayter (GBR) – Soudal Quick-Step – 2h 37’ 33”
4. Olav Kooij (NED) – Team Visma | Lease a Bike – 2h 37’ 33”
5. Christophe Laporte (FRA) – Team Visma | Lease a Bike – 2h 37’ 36”

Stage 1 Results

1. Tim Merlier (BEL) – Soudal Quick-Step
2. Olav Kooij (NED) – Team Visma | Lease a Bike
3. Lund Andresen (DEN) – Team Picnic PostNL
4. Tim Torn Teutenberg (GER) – Team Lidl-Trek
5. Danny van Poppel (NED) – Red Bull – Bora Hansgrohe