PRESS BROCHURE

14-16 AUGUST 2020 “TIME FOR A NEW CHAPTER IN OUR LA VUELTA HISTORY.”

The best riders in the world are returning once again to the and that makes me very happy! We all start cycling as a child here in the Netherlands, but the way the country reacts to this event is truly unique. All those fellow countrymen in the city and along the roads, is a great experience for the riders to have and enjoy. It gives a huge boost and ensures that the next generation is also inspired by our beautiful sport.

La Vuelta itself also brings up special memories. It was my first overall victory in a grand tour. One year later I won the Tour de France, but La Vuelta will always be my first one. With the fantastic current generation of Dutch riders, it’s time for a new chapter in the Dutch La Vuelta history. I think it’s time for a successor and how great it would be if that happens in 2020. Then we would start and end on a Dutch note!

Joop Zoetemelk Winner of La Vuelta a España 1979 TABLE OF CONTENT

Netherlands: ready for a bike fiesta! 4

La Vuelta and the Netherlands: forever bonded 6

La Vuelta Holanda 2020: 1st Stage -Utrecht 8

La Vuelta Holanda 2020: 2nd Stage ’s-Hertogenbosch-Utrecht 9

La Vuelta Holanda 2020: 3rd Stage Breda-Breda 10

Province of Utrecht: attractive cycling region 12

Province of Noord-Brabant: the longest cycling route 17 network in the Netherlands

Utrecht: bustling cycling city 20

’s-Hertogenbosch: trendsetting innovative 25

Breda: royal ‘roots’ surrounded by beautiful green 28

Epilogue La Vuelta Director Javier Guillén 32

THE NETHERLANDS: READY FOR A BIKE FIESTA!

Welcome to the Netherlands! The land of Van Gogh and Tiësto, windmills and Delta Works, of tulips and clogs and of Delft Blue and cheese. But also the country that is characterized by its knowledge and innovations. Yet we are foremost the country known for our unique cycling culture. We have more bicycles than inhabitants, the largest underground bicycle parking facilities in the world and do more than a quarter of our trips by bicycle. The Netherlands is ready to place the bicycle in the international spotlight again in 2020. With more than 400 kilometres - divided over three stages through the beautiful Dutch landscape - the Netherlands will colour red for three days during the start of La Vuelta a España. We are ready for a fiesta roja!

MILLION KILOMETRES BILLION CYCLING KILOMETRES 23 BICYCLES 35.000 BICYCLE PATH 15 EVERY YEAR

4 5 LA VUELTA AND THE NETHERLANDS: FOREVER BONDED

Statistics show how much passion there is for cycling in the Netherlands. No other country has organized a start of one of the three major cycling tours outside its original country more often than the Netherlands. With La Vuelta Holanda 2020 it will be the eleventh time that the peloton races through the Dutch polders. The Spanish La Vuelta does not often start abroad (three times before). In 1997, the first start outside Spain was in Portugal. La Vuelta has started here before, in our small country that has no mountains, back in 2009. Back then, La Vuelta a España started with a time trial on the TT-circuit of Assen. Spartacus, Fabian Cancellara was the fastest: he covered the 4.8 kilometers in 5 minutes and 20 seconds. Cycling fans still have vivid memories of this race.

The Netherlands also has a rich history in the competition of La Vuelta. The Netherlands is fifth on the STAGE VICTORIES list of countries with the most stage wins in La Vuelta 110 a España: 110 times a Dutchman has won a stage and crossed the finish line being first. We also won the overall classification twice with Jan Janssen in 1967 and later DIFFERENT DUTCH on with Joop Zoetemelk in 1979. 265 PARTICIPANTS TH EDITION OF LA VUELTA A ESPAÑA IN 2020 6 75 7 LA VUELTA HOLANDA 2020: 14 AUGUST - 1ST STAGE UTRECHT-UTRECHT 1st Stage: Utrecht-Utrecht

Friday 14 august \ 23,7 km \ Team Time Trial Thursday, Team presentation Vredenburg

“Like the Giro (2010) and the Tour (2015) the route of La Vuelta will pass through a substantial part of our city. It’s going to be an amazing and a memorable event once again.”

- Jan van Zanen, mayor of Utrecht

City centre \ South-West \ City centre \ East \ North-East \ Overvecht \ North-West \ West \ Leidsche Rijn \ Vleuten - De Meern \ Leidsche Rijn \ West \ City centre 8 LA VUELTA HOLANDA 2020: 15 AUGUST - 2ND STAGE ‘S-HERTOGENBOSH-UTRECHT

“We will welcome our Spanish 2nd Stage: ‘s-Hertogenbosch-Utrecht and (inter)national guests, the Saturday 15 august \ 183 km \ Flat stage cyclists and all fans with open arms and let them experience the hospitality and conviviality of Brabant that characterizes our city.” - Jack Mikkers, mayor of ‘s-Hertogenbosch

‘s-Hertogenbosch \ Heusden \ Altena \ Zaltbommel \ Maasdriel \ West Maas en Waal \ Neder-Betuwe \ \ \ Utrechtse Heuvelrug \ \ Scherpenzeel \ \ Utrechtse Heuvelrug \ \ \ Soest \ \ \ Utrecht 9 LA VUELTA HOLANDA 2020: 16 AUGUST - 3RD STAGE BREDA-BREDA 3rd Stage: Breda-Breda

Sunday 16 august \ 194 km \ Flatstage

“For our city organizing a stage of La Vuelta 2020 is a dream come true.”

- Paul Depla, mayor of Breda

Breda \ Alphen Chaam \ Baarle-Nassau \ Alphen Chaam \ Gilze en Rijen \ Dongen \ Oosterhout \ Drimmelen \ Moerdijk \ Halderberge \ Steenbergen \ Bergen op Zoom \ Woensdrecht \ Roosendaal \ Rucphen \ Etten-Leur \ Breda 10 “Cycling in your own country in front of your home crowd is a truly unique experience.” - Tom Dumoulin

“It’s a special feeling that the second stage of La Vuelta 2020 will start in my former hometown ‘s-Hertogenbosch.” - Steven Kruijswijk

“I still cherish my victory in La Vuelta a España. Great that this grand tour will come back to the Netherlands in 2020.” - Jan Janssen

“In 2015 I almost became deaf by the sound of our Dutch fans cheering along the race. I still get goose bumps when I think about it.” - Wilco Kelderman 11 PROVINCE OF UTRECHT: AN ATTRACTIVE CYCLING REGION

The province of Utrecht is an attractive cycling region with 1800 km of bicycle paths and lots of vegetation! It is no coincidence HECTARES OF that the province of Utrecht is number 1 in the list of the most 20.000 NATURE RESERVE kilometres on a bicycle per year per inhabitant. The province has been encouraging the use of bicycles for years and that hasn’t been without results. This is not that strange, because cycling in this area is a unique experience: it has beautiful castles, estates MUNICIPALITIES and country estates to cycle past! 17

In addition, this part of the Netherlands is known for its interesting cycling innovations. Through cooperation between companies, research institutes and governments, the region is 11 MUSEUMS increasingly becoming an international cycling knowledge and innovation hub.

The province is also known for its know-how economy, thanks to its central location and a high level of expertise. This central location - in the middle of the Netherlands - also makes it one of the provinces through which many Dutch people travel. The road network is the busiest and most used road network in the Netherlands and Utrecht Central Station welcomes even more passengers than Schiphol Airport.

12 13 De Haar Castle The province of Utrecht features an enormous amount of country estates, castles, monuments, visitor centers and museums. 14 A lot of these places are open to the public. Heuvelrug National Park On the Utrechtse Heuvelrug you stand in the largest forest of the Randstad and you have a magnificent view over the river landscape. Here you can walk and cycle through the greenery and past many country estates and castles.

15 16 PROVINCE OF NOORD-BRABANT: THE LONGEST BICYCLE ROUTE NETWORK IN THE NETHERLANDS

Noord-Brabant is a province of entrepreneurial spirit, development power and unity. With Brainport setting the new standard in high-tech, the province is at the forefront of innovation. Noord- Brabant is blessed with cities full of character, award-winning theme parks and vibrant events. This beautiful region is known for its Burgundian cosiness and has something to offer to everyone.

Furthermore, the Brabant landscape encourages walking, cycling, horseback riding and even more. Beautiful nature reserves and forests are ideal for long walks or relaxing cycling events. With the bicycle route network, which is mapped out throughout the province, you determine the route and distance of your cycle tour. By constructing more fast cycle routes, the use of new forms of signage, smart use of bicycle data, a 3D-printed bicycle bridge, and all kinds of other innovations, Noord-Brabant tries to make cycling even more attractive. 2.537.100 INHABITANTS Besides biking, the sport of cycling also has a rich history in Noord-Brabant. The province has produced many cycling heroes, such as Steven Kruijswijk, Leontien van Moorsel, Marianne Vos KILOMETRES OF BICYCLE and Mathieu Hermans. In addition, Noord-Brabant has about 40 5.000 ROUTE NETWORK cycling associations with over 3,200 Royal Dutch Cycling Union (KNWU) members (27% of the Netherlands). It is therefore no coincidence that in Noord- Brabant (‘s-Hertogenbosch) every OF ALL JOURNEYS year the annual Cycling Gala takes place. ARE MADE BY BIKE 25,7% 17 The Efteling The Efteling is the largest amusement park in the Netherlands, located in the city of Kaatsheuvel in Noord-Brabant. The Efteling 18 was opened as a nature and recreation park in 1951 and is therefore one of the oldest theme parks in the world. The Dunes of Loon and Drunen This area is also known as the ‘Sahara of Brabant’. Walk, cycle or go on horseback through this enormous sand dune area with a total surface of over 3.500 hectares.

19 UTRECHT: BUSTLING CYCLING CITY

It is a figure that surprises many people from abroad: every inhabitant of the city of Utrecht has on average two or more bicycles. When you look around the city, you see them all over. Firmly chained to poles and bridges, parked in bicycle sheds and deftly heading on the many bicycle paths. Utrecht was the first municipality to have a bicycle path as early as 1885 and now has the largest bicycle shed in the world: for no fewer than 33,000 two-wheelers!

Not surprisingly, this city is the only one in the world to host all three major cycling tours. The Giro d’Italia in 2010, the YEARS OF CITY Tour de France in 2015 and soon La Vuelta in 2020. Utrecht 900 RIGHTS IN 2022 is also the fastest growing city in the Netherlands; from 350,000 inhabitants in 2018 to 400,000 inhabitants in 2025. It is a lively city and offers an impressive and pleasant mix of timeless history and contemporary appeal. In this city NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS you will find history, culture and creativity alongside exciting 12 IN THE CITY design shops and authentic restaurants. Utrecht is the brain of the Netherlands; a city with knowledge, with young, smart inhabitants, a thriving creative sector and leading international MILLION PEOPLE USE UTRECHT research centres that are constantly able to attract and produce 88 CENTRAL STATION EVERY YEAR top talent.

20 21 The Dom Tower The Dom Tower is over 600 years old and the highest historical tower of the country. With it’s 112 meter the Dom Tower is 22 visible from every part of the city. TivoliVredenburg With five unique halls underneath one roof TivoliVredenburg is a ‘musical city within a city’. For inhabitants of Utrecht and (inter)national visitors, for young and old and for talents and professionals.

23 24 ‘S-HERTOGENBOSCH: A LEADING INNOVATOR

As a city of data, this city is in full motion! Even with bikes! ‘s-Hertogenbosch shows its innovative and sustainable character with two special applications for cyclists that were created in cooperation with the local business community. The apps bring cyclists to their destinations faster and safer by, for example, warning them of difficult situations. A unique feature is the Schwungapp, which allows traffic lights to ‘see’ cyclists approaching, allowing the light to go green. In this way, the municipality stimulates (safe) cycling in the sustainable mobility policy of ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

‘s-Hertogenbosch is the capital of Noord-Brabant, which is characterized by its Burgundian hospitality. The city, known as the cultural city of the south, has a lot to offer. With beautiful museums and the most exciting festivals. Art, gastronomy and special shopping in a historical setting are in opposition to the innovative character of the city. As a leading data city with 830 IT companies, it is leading the way in the Netherlands.

BICYCLES IN FREE RENTAL BIKES AVAILABLE INHABITANTS THE CITY ON THE TRANSFERIA 153.000 200.000 200 25 The Sint-John’s Cathedral The Sint-John’s Cathedral is almost as old as the city. Around 1220 the inhabitants of ’s-Hertogenbosch started with the construction 26 of a brick church on the place where the St. John’s is now. The Tramkade Where De Heus compound feed factory was in operation for over a 100 years, the new Tramkade cultural hotspot was created in the Spoorzone of ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

27 BREDA: ROYAL ‘ROOTS’ SURROUNDED BY BEAUTIFUL GREENERY

In Breda, you will find both urban and international allure and at the same time inspiring tranquillity in the landscape and a feeling of seclusion in traditional villages. The Mastbos, the Markdal, the Galderse Heide, the Liesbos, the Ulvenhoutse woods, country estates and natural gates embrace Breda with lots of greenery, which runs along bicycle paths from all directions to parks far into the city centre.

It was not a coincidence that King Willem-Alexander’s ancestors lived in Breda for 150 years since they chose this ‘northernmost Flemish city’ about six centuries ago. They made history there - partly coinciding with that of Spain - and left behind beautiful monuments. The Castle of Breda, the Grote or Onze Lieve Vrouwenkerk and the Beguinage are still ‘top’ in the historic city centre.

The combination with leading, contemporary architecture, 185.000 INHABITANTS musical events, cultural festivals, extensive digital cleverness and hospitable get-togethers, makes Breda the Best City Centre of the Netherlands (2017-2019). Sport is inextricably bound up with the Breda lifestyle, where cycling is at the top KILOMETRES ARE TRAVELLED BY BIKE EVERY DAY of the list. All kinds of cycling clubs, from semi-professionals, 500.000 friends, both male and female, to pubbars and cycling enthusiasts find their place in Breda. And after exercising it’s wonderful to relax and enjoy yourself. DJ’S FROM BREDA IN WORLD TOP 100 - HARDWELL, TIËSTO EN DANNIC 28 3 29 Spanjaardsgat and harbour The city river The Mark is back in the heart of Breda. The Spanjaardsgat connects the canals and the part of the river 30 that enters the beautifully meandering Mark in the eponymous Markdal towards Belgium. Breda Castle and park Valkenberg Two icons that are inextricably linked to the Nassau-history of Breda and still today symbolize typical qualities of Breda. The Castle is also the center of the Dutch Defense Academy.

31 “OUR ANNIVERSARY EDITION DESERVES A SPECIAL START.” In 2009 Assen was our first experience with a Dutch start of La Vuelta which was an amazing event. We were so happy that we felt we had to keep doing it. Also, our jubilee year needed a special start! We could, with the Netherlands as a cycling country and Utrecht as a starting place (first city in the world that hosts all three major cycling tours), give La Vuelta a special touch. This is why it is wonderful to officially start the 75th edition of our cycling tour in The Netherlands.

We also wanted to tell a story during our anniversary edition. The Netherlands and Spain were once part of the same empire and therefore have a strong cultural-historical bond. We can tell that story with the start of the round in the Netherlands in 2020. Moreover, the Netherlands also has a rich cycling history and with this generation of cyclists a chance to write cycling history again. 2020 promises to be a great edition of La Vuelta!

Javier Guillén, director of La Vuelta

32 33 LA VUELTA HOLANDA [email protected] \ WWW.LAVUELTAHOLANDA.COM @LaVueltaHolanda @LaVueltaHolanda @lavueltaholanda La Vuelta Holanda © La Vuelta Holanda, September 2019

Concept, text and design: SportVibes & Triple Double Photography: © Unipublic, © Utrecht Marketing, © Visit Brabant, Municipality of Utrecht, Municipality of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Municipality of Breda, Province of Utrecht, Province of Noord-Brabant and La Vuelta a España