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Dutch championship in the Alps? “We are consulting with Switzerland” | Cycling

Tom Dumoulin, Steven Kruijswijk, Wilco Kelderman, Wout Poels, Bauke Mollema, Sam Oomen, Robert Gesink, Pieter Weening …

The Netherlands is almost full of climbers, but a Dutch champion has not yet emerged from it.

“The Netherlands is a relatively flat country. That is why it has been suggested several times to organize the NK in the Alps,” says Thorwald Veneberg, technical director at the Dutch association.

“Richard Plugge (manager of Jumbo-Visma) then launched that idea again. The Dutch federation then contacted Austria, but they were reluctant to work together.”

Switzerland does see bread in it. “We are in discussions with Switzerland. The proposal is to organize the Dutch and Swiss championships together. Of course with a Dutch and a Swiss champion.”

But it is not yet for next year. “If it continued, it would happen in a few years,” said Veneberg.

“It is important that we get the riders in Switzerland in such a way that the environment is so little affected.”

Is Dutch Limburg not selective enough as an NK course? “There you would get a duel between classic riders (such as Niki Terpstra) and climbers. But we want an NK that is a real climbing spectacle,” says Veneberg.

This year the NK will take place on the VAM mountain. An artificial hill of 40 meters high.

“The VAM mountain is located in a very nice recreational area and is one of the few places with height differences in the north of the Netherlands,” said national coach Veneberg.

“During the NK, the VAM mountain will be climbed 30 times. But even on that track, a sprinter (such as Jakobsen) can become Dutch champion.”

“A new climb is being constructed next to the VAM mountain. From the top it currently resembles Mont Ventoux. It will be 20 meters higher than the VAM mountain.”

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