UCI puts a last-minute stop to special format of the Eneco Tour prologue: 'We’ve reached a good compromise'

It was an extremely unique format for the Eneco Tour. Never before had men and women taken turns starting in a time trial. The riders would also meet later in the stage race: the final stage would start simultaneously for both men and women. These were great plans from director Roxane Knetemann, but the UCI wasn’t having it.

"The idea was to have them start alternately, but the UCI didn't quite agree with that," she tells Sporza. "They pointed out that these are two separate races, and from an insurance standpoint, they found that very concerning. So in our enthusiasm, we may have moved a little too fast for the UCI. But we’ve reached a good compromise."

"Now we'll have 30 women start, then 30 men, then another 30 women, and so on in alternating time blocks," explains the Dutchwoman. “That way, we still have that sense of integration that we consider very important. We’re going to enjoy a wonderful evening in The Hague, because the prologue is being held in the evening, where women’s and men’s sports will be mixed together.”

Last year, the Tour of Holland and the Simac Ladies Tour were held on different dates, but the decision has now been made to hold the races at the same time. This has mainly advantages, says Knetemann.

“You have not one, but two top sporting events in quick succession, and they reinforce each other. We’re showcasing elite sports, but we also want to inspire people. The women’s division is an integral part of that.”

It is difficult, though. Organising two races at the same time presents many challenges. “Organising a race in the Netherlands is challenging enough on its own, let alone two. The challenge is twice as big. It requires a lot of thought about many different things, including logistics. You don’t need just one location for a fleet of vehicles—you need two. And one fleet has to be able to leave while the other is in the race.”

Knetemann is also taking far more safety measures than last year. The organisers have primarily opted for closed loops, and there is increased security. “Last year we didn’t have a police escort, which made things even more complicated; this year, we do have one for three stages. We’ve also tripled the number of motorcycle escorts for safety.”