| VUELTA 22 HOLANDA – Utrecht | Street art | Tribute to Dutch Tour Winners |
| History of big cyclist events in the Netherlands | Tour de France – Grand Depart Utrecht 2015 |
GRAND TOUR | VUELTA “tour of Spain” IN UTRECHT
Vuelta 2022: stage 2 | 20 August – starts at ‘s-Hertogenbosch – finisch Science Park Utrecht
Vuelta 19 August 2022: stage 1 | Winning team Jumbo-Visma, Robert Gesink.
What a great start from Jumbo-Visma in the team time trial of the Vuelta a España in Utrecht. The Dutch formation rode in the fastest time in the 23.3 kilometers long team time trial. Robert Gesink was the first rider to cross the finish line and was allowed to put on the first red leader’s jersey afterward.
La Vuelta ciclista a España 2022 | Result stage 1 | Utrecht – Utrecht (23.3km)
Vuelta 19-8-2022 starting times of the team time trial in Utrecht:
Update Vuelta Utrecht 18-8-2022
The first day of the Vuelta was spectacular. 16 international professional cyclist teams presented themselves. The grand opening was made by Sharon Dijksma, the mayor of Utrecht. This opening event of the Vuelta took place on Vredenburg, a square in the center of Utrecht., a big crow of Vuelta admirers was present. After the team presentation, the teams were sailed around the canals of Utrecht where they were applauded by the audience. The team presentation was live on TV.
Update Preparations of Utrecht 17-8-2022
The city of Utrecht is preparing itself for the grand kickoff of Vuelta. Tour caravans are entering the city, hotels are overbooked, and downtown Utrecht is Spanish the main language. Everybody is very excited about this thrilling sports event that is soon to begin.
Vuelta, Tour of Spain starts on August 19 in Utrecht – Grand Kickoff
The Vuelta or as they say in Spanish: Vuelta Ciclista de España. Abbreviated and better known as “Vuelta”, is a multi-day cycling race held annually in Spain. Together with the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta is one of the three Grand Tours.
This year, 2022, the Vuelta starts in the centre of The Netherlands, in the city of Utrecht. It is the second time the Vuelta starts in the Netherlands. In 2009 the Gran Salida was in Assen.
The Vuelta starts on Friday 19 August in Utrecht with a team time trial. The 2nd and 3rd stages of the Vuelta, Tour of España will also take place in the Netherlands. On opening day the team time trial is 23.3 kilometers long and goes from the Jaarbeurs Utrecht to Overvecht and Leidsche Rijn, both neighborhoods of Utrecht, and back. The next day, the 2nd stage, after the start in ‘s Hertogenbosch, will partly go over the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. Cyclists that keep an eye on the mountain can make their move on the Amerongse Berg, after which the finish line is at the Science Park in Utrecht. On Sunday, the riders will race in stage 3, which starts and finishes in the city of Breda, the trail goes over the roads of North Brabant. In total, the tour de España takes 410 kilometers through the Netherlands. The race crosses more than thirty places, including Utrecht, Leidsche Rijn, Den Bosch, Heusden, Altena, Zaltbommel, Maasdriel, Buren, Rhenen, Renswoude, Scherpenzeel, Woudenberg, Leusden, Amersfoort, Soest, Zeist, De Bilt, Alphen-Chaam , Baarle-Nassau, Gilze en Rijen, Dongen, Oosterhout, Drimmelen, Moerdijk, Steenbergen, Bergen op Zoom, Woensdrecht, Roosendaal and Etten-Leur. Ultimately, the Vuelta and the Netherlands say goodbye to each other in Breda.
Street art | Tribute to the Dutch Tour winners
Out of respect and admiration painted Daniel Rozendaal, a Utrecht street art artist, on the side wall of a Utrecht house on Thomas Kempisweg the Dutch tour winners Jan Jansen and Joop Zoetemelk. These portraits are part of the series: “Têtes de la Course”, 2 of the Tour’s eleven legendary winners.
History of big cyclist events in the Netherlands
Utrecht has a history of big cyclist events. In 2015 Le Grand Départ of the Tour de France was in Utrecht and in 2010 the 2nd stage of the Giro finished in Utrecht, the Dom city. With the coming of the “Gran Salida” of “the Vuelta”, the city of Utrecht will be the first Dutch city to host all Grand Tours. In fact, Utrecht is the only city in the world that can say that.
Tour de France – Grand Depart Utrecht 2015
In 2015 Utrecht was briefly the beating cycling heart of the world. The Tour started in Utrecht and was a unique event and shrouded the city in a special magical atmosphere. Whether it was during the special team presentation around Park Lepelenburg and the Railway Museum, or the time trial on Saturday that ran through the Australian at a record speed of 55.45 km/h. Rohan Dennis was won or the second stage neutralized the 198 riders drove under the Duomo and said goodbye to the city, being serenaded by a 1000-piece choir. Every day there was something to do around cycling: from exhibitions to cycling lessons, from spinning in the church to a Tour film festival.
The 102nd edition of the Tour de France was held from 4 to 26 July 2015. The Tour started in the Dutch city of Utrecht and traditionally ended in Paris. It was the sixth time that the Tour de France started in the Netherlands.
Grand Depart Tour de France started on the 4th and 5th of July 2015 in Utrecht.
The Grand Départ was the festive start of the France cycling race “Tour de France”. The first stage was on the 4th of July with an individual time trial of 13,7 kilometers. The parkour of the first day Tour de France went right through the old city of Utrecht.
In the line of the kickoff Tour de France, there were a lot of sportive and non-sportive events organized during the spring and summer of 2015 in Utrecht. On the 2nd of July, the peloton presents themself at the team presentation in Lepelenburg park, Utrecht.
On the 5th of July was the second stage, the parkour went from the city of Utrecht to Zeeland.
- The biggest annual sports event in the world is coming to Utrecht.
- The Grand Départ is the festive start of the French cycling race.
- After five years, the Tour de France returns to the Netherlands for a record sixth time.
- On Thursday, July 2nd Utrecht will get to know the peloton during the team presentation in Lepelenburg park.
- The first stage on July 4th is an individual time trial of 13,7 kilometers, which starts at 14:00.
- The second stage on July 5th starts at 13:45 and courses through the city to Neeltje Jans (Zeeland).
- The publicity caravan leaves two hours before the peloton on both days.
- For residents and visitors of Utrecht, this is a unique chance to experience this cycling spectacle up close.
The Tour de France started on Saturday, July 4th with an individual time trial. For exactly 13.7 kilometers, the riders course through Utrecht at full speed. The riders will follow a flat course straight through the city; from west to east and back. The yellow starting stage will be installed behind the Jaarbeurs Utrecht, from where the cyclists will head towards Galgenwaard stadium, Utrecht Science Park, and Utrecht University before they bend to the west and head for the finish through the historic center of Utrecht. The finish is located in front of the new City Office at Jaarbeursplein.
On YouTube you find lots of nice Tour de France movies, this is my favorite one.
What is yours?
