The Netherlands is known for its love of cycling, and Gran Fondos are a great way to experience this passion firsthand.
Many of these events also have a festive atmosphere, with music, food, and other activities at the finish line. The routes often feature a mix of urban and rural routes, taking in everything from city streets to picturesque countryside roads.
Two of the must-do Dutch Gran Fondos are;
- Joop Zoetemelk Classic is named after Joop Zoetemelk, a former professional cyclist who was the last Dutch rider to win the Tour de France in 1980. The route passes through the Green Hart of Holland, a region known for its beautiful cycling roads and picturesque landscape.
- Amstel Gold Race takes place a day before (Saturday) the men’s race. The route traverses the Limburg region, known for its picturesque nature reserves and short steep climbs.
The table below lists all the Gran Fondos in the Netherlands.
| Date | Gran Fondo | Location | Distances | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan 2023 | Winterfiets Elfstedentoccht | Elfstedenhal Leeuwarden | 200km | Tour |
| 21 Jan 2023 | BRM 200 Bunnik | Bunnik | 200km | Ultra |
| 25 Feb 2023 | Zuid Veluwe | Bennekom | 100km | Gran Fondo |
| 18 Mar 2023 | Joop Zoetemelk Classic | Leiden | 50, 75, 100, 150km | Gran Fondo |
| 19 Mar 2023 | Gravelty Primavera | Utrecht Ridge | 80km | Gravel |
| 1 Apr 2023 | Volta Limburg Classic | Eijsden | 65, 90, 120, 150km | Gran Fondo |
| 2 Apr 2023 | Flandrien Ride | Breda | 75, 100, 150km | Gran Fondo |
| 15 Apr 2023 | Tour de Haute Veluwe | Bennekom | 80, 110, 115, 150km | Tour |
| 15 Apr 2023 | Amstel Gold Race Experience | Valkenburg | 65, 100, 125, 150, 200, 240km | Gran Fondo |
| 16 Apr 2023 | Gran Fondo Drenthe | Assen | 70, 95, 130km | Gran Fondo |
| 23 Apr 2023 | Gran Fondo Hanze | Zwolle | 80, 120, 160km | Gran Fondo |
| 29 Apr 2023 | GravelFest | Limburg | 50, 100km | Gravel |
| 30 Apr 2023 | Race Around The Netherlands | Amerongen | 1,890km | Tour |
| 30 Apr 2023 | King’s Ride | Utrecht | 80, 100, 160km | Gran Fondo |
| 7 May 2023 | Gran Fondo Brabant | Heeswijk Dinther | 85, 115, 160km | Gran Fondo |
| 14 May 2023 | Gran Fondo Amsterdam | Amsterdam | 75, 115, 175km | Gran Fondo |
| 21 May 2023 | Gravelty Strade Bianchi | Oosterbeek | 80km | Gravel |
| 21 May 2023 | Gran Fondo Rosa | Gelderland | 80, 110, 160km | Gran Fondo |
| 4 Jun 2023 | Gravelty Cobbles | Tilburg | 40km | Gravel |
| 8 Jun 2023 | Gravel Valley | Ommen | 48, 96km | Gravel |
| 1 Jul 2023 | Le Tour Ride | Utrecht | 70, 95, 130km | Tour |
| 1 Jul 2023 | Eroica Valkenburg | Valkenburg | 65, 100, 150km | Gravel |
| 15 Jul 2023 | Grunnduro | Groningen | 150, 250km | Gravel |
| 16 Jul 2023 | Gran Fondo Veluwe | Veluwe | 80, 120, 160km | Gran Fondo |
| 12 Aug 2023 | La Vuelta Holanda Breda | Breda | 35, 85, 125, 165km | Gran Fondo |
| 13 Aug 2023 | La Vuelta Holanda Utrecht | Utrecht | 35, 60, 85, 125, 165km | Gran Fondo |
| 3 Sep 2023 | Gran Fondo Rotterdam | Rotterdam | 80, 100, 160km | Gran Fondo |
| 9 Sep 2023 | Gravel Series Limburg | Banholt | 20, 65, 125km | Gravel |
| 10 Sep 2023 | IJsselmeer Challenge | IJsselmeer | 300km | Gran Fondo |
| 16 Sep 2023 | Gravel One Fifty | Veenhuizen | 75, 145km | Gravel |
| 17 Sep 2023 | Strade Bianche Peel and Hei | Asten Heusden | 65, 90, 140km | Gravel |
| 8 Oct 2023 | Meewind Koers | Amersfoort | TBC | Gran Fondo |
Alex Lee is the founder and editor-at-large of Mr. Mamil. Coming from a professional engineering background, he breaks down technical cycling nuances into an easy-to-understand and digestible format here.
He has been riding road bikes actively for the past 12 years and started racing competitively in the senior category during the summer recently.