Follow IDL Pro Cycling on Google
Stay up to date with the best cycling news by making us a preferred source on Google.
Follow us on GoogleLieke Nooijen won the prologue of the Eneco Tour in the elite women’s category with great conviction. The six-day stage race in the Netherlands kicked off with a short 3.1-kilometer time trial that immediately provided plenty of excitement, but Nooijen ultimately stood head and shoulders above the rest in The Hague.
ADVERTISEMENT
The women’s Eneco Tour, like the men’s, started on Tuesday evening. Race director Roxane Knetemann would have preferred a mixed start, with a man and a woman alternating on the starting podium. However, the UCI put a stop to that on Tuesday.
And so Knetemann had to back down a bit, although she still got her way to some extent. The first group of women was followed by a group of men, before the second group of women began the prologue. That way, we still ended up with a mixed program for the evening.
Hashimi and Nooijen impress at the Eneco Tour
For a long time, the prologue seemed to be shaping up into a bizarre battle down to the last thousandth of a second. Charlotte Kool posted the fastest time for Fenix-Premier Tech. Lonneke Uneken finished for VolkerWessels in virtually the same time, except that she was beaten by a thousandth of a second.
After Belgium’s Sandrine Tas of Lotto also crossed the finish line just a few hundredths of a second behind Kool, it looked as though the Dutch rider might win. Nooijen, however, posted an impressive time for Visma | Lease a Bike. Over a little more than 3 kilometers, she was 8 seconds faster.
With that, Nooijen claimed the first leader’s jersey in the Eneco Tour, which means she’ll start Wednesday’s Stage 1—a race around Ede—in the lead. Other highlights? Without a doubt, the Afghan rider Fariba Hashimi, who put her chain back on while still riding. Hats off to her!
Prologue results, 2026 Eneco Tour - Elite Women
Data powered by FirstCycling.com
Read also
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
IDL-productions
Rumours, speculation and guesswork: 2027 Tour de France route will be revealed live on October 22 in Paris
Vollering adds the Women’s European Championships road race jersey to her rainbow wardrobe
16-day Grand Tours, AI, VAR, drones and more: The UCI's new document has a potentially major impact from 2029 onwards
Quinn Simmons' Strava shows exactly what it takes to compete at the World Championships: ‘I said, Hey guys, anything is possible'
Despite losing the World Championships, Del Toro and Seixas rank high mentally and physically on the Pogačar scale
Latest Cycling News
Primož Roglič isn't sure whether he'll continue cycling, but his wife Lora has already spoken out.
Matthew Richardson responds to Track Cycling World Championships dismissal: 'I will co-operate fully'
The Tour de France responds to the UCI's radical Grand Tour plan; the Giro and Vuelta are also opting out
Jakob Söderqvist puts European Championships disappointment behind him and wins the Eneco Tour prologue
British track star Matthew Richardson sent home before the Track Cycling World Championships for 'misconduct'
Popular Cycling News
The Tour de France responds to the UCI's radical Grand Tour plan; the Giro and Vuelta are also opting out
Primož Roglič isn't sure whether he'll continue cycling, but his wife Lora has already spoken out.
UAE and Del Toro explain Tour of Lombardy collapse with (very) few words: ‘ Proud of the efforts in Italy’
Il Lombadria Strava analysis shows 2026 Paul Seixas outshines 2022 Tadej Pogačar on the Civiglio
Not Laporte, but Per Strand Hagenes wins Paris-Tours for Visma | Lease a Bike
Latest Comments
- I’m still learning about these races—was the lamppost on the course, or did he hit it after going off the road? Either way, a frightening crash, and I hope his recovery keeps moving forward.julien13-10-2026
- That “streetlights can put up quite a fight” line is some gallows humour. Incredible resilience from Caudell and everyone helping him through rehab.cyclechamp4513-10-2026
- The ECMO details really put the seriousness of the crash into perspective. It’s good to hear he’s making progress, and I hope the cycling community continues to support his family.raceready713-10-2026
- Walking and communicating after injuries this severe is a huge milestone. Wishing Ezra and his family strength for the long road ahead.bikebuffj13-10-2026
- The rivalry brings in casual fans, but there’s plenty of racing beyond those two. Hope Van Aert gets a clean winter after that crash in Mol. Was Benidorm really the last time he beat MVDP?jeremya13-10-2026
- I’m still learning how the cyclocross calendar works: when do riders usually confirm whether they’ll race the Worlds? It sounds tough for organisers to plan around all this uncertainty.gearguru3313-10-2026
- Herygers saying no rider would rather babysit than race is a pretty daft take. If Mathieu’s family needs him, that’s obviously more important than any race.sprocketspiny13-10-2026
- Van Aert had a fantastic road season, but cross is a different beast. If he’s healthy, I can see him making an early statement—though writing off MVDP before we know his plans feels premature.cadencekingm13-10-2026
- The “king is dead” line feels premature. Pogačar has dominated this race for years, and one brilliant Seixas win doesn’t mean his reign is over. The article leans a bit too hard into the hype.patriciaw12-10-2026
- How does Seixas’s win compare with Gerbi’s in 1905? Was the race anything like the Lombardia riders face today?michael5412-10-2026
Loading
