Benelux Tour postpones to 2023 due to crowded calendar

This article originally appeared on Velo News

Cross a line through the Benelux Tour this summer.

Organizers of the Belgo-Dutch stage tour confirmed this week that the 2022 race has been postponed due to “an overloaded cycling calendar, especially at the logistical and media level.”

Originally slated for August 29 to September 4, the Low Country tour was overshadowed by the Vuelta a Espana and butted up against WorldTour racing in France and Canada.

A press note this week cited conflicting finish times with overlapping races and difficulty ensuring police assistance in certain stages as part of the decision to pull the plug.

“The times of broadcast of the other races at the same time would have forced the organization to plan arrival times which would become uninteresting for the supporters and guests on-site, as well as for the television viewers. It would also result in impossible departure times and travel for the teams,” read a statement Tuesday.

The loss of the Benelux race - formerly known as the BinckBank Tour - will be hard felt in its host nations. Previous winners of Belgium and Netherlands’ only top-tier stage race include Tom Dumoulin, Mathieu van der Poel, and in 2021, Sonny Colbrelli.

Officials are now seeking a slot in the 2023 calendar.

“The postponement of the Benelux Tour to 2023 is regrettable for the cycling fans of Les Plats Pays, as it is for our team, which has been preparing for months already. But it is a necessary decision and the only solution to avoid problems,” said Christophe Impens of organizing body Golazo.

“All parties involved (teams, partners, cities, municipalities, and federations) will use the opportunity to work towards an even better and stronger Benelux Tour for years to come.”

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