Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships Explained

Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships
Date:Fall or Winter; organized ad hoc when a storm is announced
Region:Oosterscheldekering, Netherlands
Localnames:NK Tegenwindfietsen
Discipline:Road cycling
Type:time trial
Number:7
Firstwinner:Men's: Bart Brentjens
Women's: Irene Tesink
Mostrecent:Men's: Jurjun van der Velde
Women's: Lisa Scheenaard

The Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships (in Dutch: NK Tegenwindfietsen, in Dutch; Flemish pronounced as /ˈteːxə(ɱ)ʋɪntˌfitsə(n)/) are an annual Dutch cycling time trial championships that takes place during storms of wind force 7 (50 km/h) or higher. They are not regulated by the Royal Dutch Cycling Union.[1] [2]

The Championships take place on the Oosterscheldekering storm barrier, which faces the North Sea, and have been held in autumn or winter since 2013. Competitors must ride the 8.5 km course against the wind on upright single-speed bicycles, which are provided by the organization. The championships are announced three days before a storm is expected. Since 2014 there is also a team time trial. A total of 200 individual cyclists (300 cyclists in 2020) can participate, plus 25 teams of four cyclists. Participants start 30 seconds apart from each other and the one with the fastest time wins.[3]

In 2020 both the male and female reigning champions (from 2018) successfully defended their titles. In 2023 the event was cancelled because of heavy storm.

Editions

YearDateWind forceMenTimeWomenTimeTeam Time
2013[4] December 15, 2013517m 51sec 19m 31sec N/A
2014December 11, 20148 SW18m 06sec 22m 34sec Wind in de Rug
 Wouter Mesker
 Kaj Hendriks
 Melvin Hekman
 Erik van Lakerveld
16m 30.653sec
2015 October 11, 20157 Pico de Jager19m15s Mathilde Matthijsse21m23s[5] Wind in de Rug18m39s
2016November 20, 20169 (code yellow) Teun Sweere22m30s Mathilde Matthijsse28m09sJan de Jonge Fietsen21m34s
2017 Did not take place, due to the absence of stormy conditions
2018 December 8, 20187 Max de Jong18m16s Lisa Scheenaard20m28s[6] Team Nooitstop
2019 Did not take place
2020[7] February 9, 2020 (during Storm Ciara) 8 (code orange) Max de Jong 20m00s Lisa Scheenaard23m08sNo team winner — contest stopped early due to overly dangerous conditions
2021 Did not take place due to COVID-19
2022February 6, 20227 (code yellow) Jurjun van der Velde 20m23s Lisa Scheenaard22m53sTeam Nooitstop15m14s
2023Cancelled due to too heavy winds during Storm Ciarán

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The hardest time trial in the world? Riders suffer at Dutch Headwind Championships (video). cyclingweekly.co.uk. 15 December 2014. 15 December 2014.
  2. Web site: Geen sterveling kan record NK Tegenwindfietsen breken. Algemeen Dagblad. 11 December 2014. 11 December 2014. nl.
  3. Web site: NK-Tegenwindfietsen zoekt deelnemers. Metro. 9 December 2014. 11 December 2014. nl. https://archive.today/20141211190540/http://www.metronieuws.nl/nieuws/nk-tegenwindfietsen-zoekt-deelnemers/SrZnlh!vwWrkUXjDo4gQ/. 11 December 2014. dead.
  4. Web site: Brentjens wint eerste NK tegenwind . 16 December 2013 . nl.
  5. Web site: NK Tegenwindfietsen 2015 - winnaars bekend. 2015-12-06. Racefietsblog.nl. nl. 2020-02-09.
  6. Web site: Beuken tegen de wind in op NK Tegenwindfietsen . 8 December 2018 . nl.
  7. Web site: NK Tegenwindfietsen: zwaarste editie ooit. Metro (Dutch newspaper). 9 February 2020. Dutch. Netherlands Championship Cycling into a Headwind. 2020-02-10.