Foreign Grand Départs are all the rage in the men’s Tour de France and so, in its third year, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift heads out into pastures new with three stages in and around Rotterdam in the Netherlands to kick start the action.
Two flat profiles and an evening time trial is how we get the wheels rolling in 2024 and so we’ve enlisted the help of our Dutch local and Rotterdam resident Marit Raaijmakers to preview the opening of this year’s Tour.
The culture
There’s a beautiful synergy between the men’s and women’s races as in 1954 the first Grand Départ on foreign soil was in Amsterdam. A heartland of racing and with the Netherlands topping the Women’s WorldTour nation ranking year-on-year, it only makes sense to start here.
“Starting in the Netherlands is exciting for all Dutchies,” says Raaijmakers. “Especially for the ones that live around the area of Rotterdam. I wasn’t born and raised here so I can’t really call myself a true ‘Rotterdammer’ but my in-laws for sure are. They are well known in the cycling community [the Zijlaard-van Moorsel’s], so to be the one of the family to be present in the peloton is an honor.”
But what is the second largest city in the Netherlands famous for?
“Rotterdam has the second biggest harbor in the world and is the largest in Europe,” Raaijmakers explains of its trade importance. “Rotterdam is also, and this will make our American fans laugh, known for its skyline as it’s the only city in the Netherlands with buildings above 150 meters.”
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- Stroopwafels
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- Bitterballen
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- Herring
Raaijmakers is right, the highest building is 215 meters high and the peloton passes it during the time trial. Two and a bit of it fits inside One World Trade Center in New York.
Once you’ve done all that touring of the city, you’ll be crying out for a bite to eat.
“For a Dutch experience I would like to take my teamies to a street market or the Markthal. To try warm stroopwafels, sour/salty herring, different kinds of cheese, bitterballen and drop.”
The stages
To the racing. It all starts with a flat stage to the Hague and then a day in two halves with a morning road stage and an afternoon six-kilometer time trial. Even though the first two stages are pan-flat, Raaijmakers knows all too well to call these 100% sprint stages with the high sea winds blowing and technical finales.
“Nowadays with Veloviewer everyone can be a local,” she explains of the sprint days. “A lot of roads you are normally not allowed to ride a bike on so I don’t know all the roads entirely but for sure the local knowledge I do have helps.”
Raaijmakers will be a steady hand in the finish for Daria Pikulik and as one of her last lead-out riders, this knowledge is imperative.
“I have seen it over and over in real life and the Dutch infrastructure simply makes sense to me which helps with what to expect on the road and with the momentum and flow in the peloton.”
The afternoon TT course, however, is very well-known to the 25-year-old.
“The TT is in the city center. Normally, I only ride there when I have a rest day and go for a coffee ride. For sure, if there is time I will treat my teamies to a coffee there.”
This will be Raaijmakers’ second Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift having competed in the inaugural edition where she infiltrated many breakaways.
“I’m looking forward to seeing another level of racing, athletes, teams, organization and fans,” she says. “Women’s cycling is still rising and every year it surprises me to be part of it and experience it front row as an athlete. Starting my first Tour de France on the famous lap of the Champs Elysees in Paris inspired everyone including myself.”
Raaijmakers hopes that the start in the Netherlands will be just as powerful.
“I hope the peloton will inspire girls/women to ride their bikes,” she says. “To show again that women’s cycling is a high-level sport. We ‘the athletes’ are responsible for the future. If we do that, we inspire investors and sponsors to step in so women’s cycling can continue to rise.”
