Veenendaal-Veenendaal
Encyclopedia
The Dutch Food Valley Classic (formerly known as Veenendaal-Veenendaal) is a semi classic professional cycling
race
in the Netherlands
starting and finishing in the town of Veenendaal with a route based around the Veluwe
National Park and the Nederrijn
river valley in the south east corner of Utrecht
province. The event is part of the UCI Europe Tour Continental calendar of events with a ranking of 1.HC and is the second biggest one day cycling race in the Netherlands after the Amstel Gold Race
. Since 2007 the event has been officially called The Dutch Food Valley Classic.
(KNWU) who wanted to create a preparation race in August just before the World Championships
. In 1994 the event was moved to mid April and given a date on a Thursday, the day after La Flèche Wallonne
and a few days before Liège–Bastogne–Liège. The race organisers were never happy with this because it reduced the quality of the field with the top teams unwilling to race three times in four days, however in 2004 the UCI agreed to a date change to a less intense week on the Friday after Paris–Roubaix and two days before the Amstel Gold Race. However the event was moved to yet another new date in 2006, with the race taking place in June, away from the congested Spring Classics calendar and no longer competing in the same midweek with the Grote Scheldeprijs
another 1.HC event. For the 2010 season, another date change is scheduled: the race will move to mid-August.
In 2005 Veenendaal–Veenendaal benefited from the creation of the new UCI
ProTour
structure when it was elevated to 1.HC standard bringing to the same level as Belgium's Omloop "Het Volk" and Germany's Rund um den Henninger Turm, thus bringing more sponsorship and publicity. In 2001 the race looked like being cancelled as the Foot and Mouth outbreak hit the Netherlands but the race eventually went ahead as the organisers modified the route to avoid sensitive areas.
The race itself takes place on winding roads through the Veluwe National Park over a distance of roughly 209 km which is interspersed with little steep cobbled climbs, the most significant of which are the Grebbeberg at the town of Rhenen
and the Posbank. The list of winners includes some top class riders such as Joop Zoetemelk
, Jean-Paul van Poppel
, Olaf Ludwig
, Viatcheslav Ekimov
, Andrei Tchmil
and Jeroen Blijlevens
.
The 2007 race brought on board the Dutch organisation Food Valley as main sponsors and the event had the alternative title of The Dutch Food Valley Classic.
Until 2008, the race always started in Veenendaal, but in 2009 the race started in Barneveld
.
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
race
Bicycle racing
Bicycle racing is a competition sport in which various types of bicycles are used. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, bike trials, and cycle speedway. Bicycle racing is recognised as an Olympic sport...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
starting and finishing in the town of Veenendaal with a route based around the Veluwe
Veluwe
The Veluwe is a forest-rich ridge of hills in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. The Veluwe features many different landscapes including woodland, heath, some small lakes and Europe's largest sand drifts....
National Park and the Nederrijn
Nederrijn
thumb|left|300px|Course of the NederrijnNederrijn is the name of the Dutch part of the River Rhine from the confluence at the town of Angeren of the cut-off Rhine bend of Oude Rijn and the Pannerdens Kanaal...
river valley in the south east corner of Utrecht
Utrecht (province)
Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands in terms of area, and is located in the centre of the country. It is bordered by the Eemmeer in the north, Gelderland in the east, the river Rhine in the south, South Holland in the west, and North Holland in the northwest...
province. The event is part of the UCI Europe Tour Continental calendar of events with a ranking of 1.HC and is the second biggest one day cycling race in the Netherlands after the Amstel Gold Race
Amstel Gold Race
The Amstel Gold Race is a road bicycle race held in the southern part of the province of Limburg, Netherlands. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup , the UCI ProTour , UCI World Ranking and from 2011 the UCI World Tour...
. Since 2007 the event has been officially called The Dutch Food Valley Classic.
History
The race only came into being in 1985, as a preparation race for the World Road Race championships. Hence it is young by European cycling standards. Between 1985 and 2006 the race was known as Veenendaal-Veenendaal. Over the years it has been run at three different times on the international cycling calendar. It was instigated by the Royal Dutch Cycling UnionRoyal Dutch Cycling Union
The Royal Dutch Cycling Union or KNWU is the national governing body of cycle racing in the Netherlands....
(KNWU) who wanted to create a preparation race in August just before the World Championships
World Cycling Championship
The UCI Road World Championships, often referred to as the World Cycling Championships, is the annual world championship for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale . The UCI Road World Championships include championships for elite men's road race and individual time trial...
. In 1994 the event was moved to mid April and given a date on a Thursday, the day after La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne is a major men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Belgium.The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège...
and a few days before Liège–Bastogne–Liège. The race organisers were never happy with this because it reduced the quality of the field with the top teams unwilling to race three times in four days, however in 2004 the UCI agreed to a date change to a less intense week on the Friday after Paris–Roubaix and two days before the Amstel Gold Race. However the event was moved to yet another new date in 2006, with the race taking place in June, away from the congested Spring Classics calendar and no longer competing in the same midweek with the Grote Scheldeprijs
Grote Scheldeprijs
The Scheldeprijs is a Flanders Classics cycling race which starts in Antwerp and finishes in Schoten. The event, ranked at 1.HC on the UCI European calendar, is seen as a race for sprinters, held on flat roads over roughly 200 kilometres. The race is one circuit of 155 kilometres into the...
another 1.HC event. For the 2010 season, another date change is scheduled: the race will move to mid-August.
In 2005 Veenendaal–Veenendaal benefited from the creation of the new UCI
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
ProTour
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
structure when it was elevated to 1.HC standard bringing to the same level as Belgium's Omloop "Het Volk" and Germany's Rund um den Henninger Turm, thus bringing more sponsorship and publicity. In 2001 the race looked like being cancelled as the Foot and Mouth outbreak hit the Netherlands but the race eventually went ahead as the organisers modified the route to avoid sensitive areas.
The race itself takes place on winding roads through the Veluwe National Park over a distance of roughly 209 km which is interspersed with little steep cobbled climbs, the most significant of which are the Grebbeberg at the town of Rhenen
Rhenen
Rhenen is a municipality and a city in the central Netherlands.The municipality also includes the villages of Achterberg, Remmerden, Elst and Laareind. The town lies at a geographically interesting location, namely on the southernmost part of the chain of hills known as the Utrecht Hill Ridge ,...
and the Posbank. The list of winners includes some top class riders such as Joop Zoetemelk
Joop Zoetemelk
Hendrik Gerardus Jozef "Joop" Zoetemelk is a retired professional racing cyclist from the Netherlands who has emigrated to France. He started the Tour de France 16 times and finished every time, a record. He won the race in 1980 and also came eighth, fifth, fourth and second...
, Jean-Paul van Poppel
Jean-Paul van Poppel
Jean-Paul van Poppel is a former Dutch racing cyclist, who was nicknamed Popeye.Van Poppel was one of the most successful Dutch road sprinters. He won stages in mass sprints in all three Grand Tours, sometimes from positions that appeared lost. In the Tour de France he won 9 stages altogether...
, Olaf Ludwig
Olaf Ludwig
Olaf Ludwig is a former German racing cyclist. His career began at the SG Dynamo Gera/ Sportvereinigung Dynamo. As an East German, he raced as an amateur until reunification of Germany allowed him to become professional with Panasonic team...
, Viatcheslav Ekimov
Viatcheslav Ekimov
Viatcheslav Vladimirovich Ekimov , nicknamed Eki, is a Russian former professional racing cyclist...
, Andrei Tchmil
Andrei Tchmil
Andrei Tchmil is a retired professional road bicycle racer. His family moved to Ukraine during the days of the Soviet Union. He started cycling and showed enough talent to be moved to a cycling school in Moldova...
and Jeroen Blijlevens
Jeroen Blijlevens
Jeroen Johannes Hendrikus Blijlevens is a retired road bicycle racer from the Netherlands, who was a professional rider from 1994 to 2004....
.
The 2007 race brought on board the Dutch organisation Food Valley as main sponsors and the event had the alternative title of The Dutch Food Valley Classic.
Until 2008, the race always started in Veenendaal, but in 2009 the race started in Barneveld
Barneveld
Barneveld is a town and a municipality in the province of Gelderland in the center of the Netherlands. It is known for its poultry industry and large protestant community. The population of the municipality was 52.629 in June 2010, the town having a population of 29.756.-Transport:Barneveld is...
.