ZLM Tour final cycle race the next three years in Oosterhout

On Thursday it was announced that the last day of the ZLM Tour cycle race for the next three years would start and end in Oosterhout.

For many years, the ZLM Tour has been the ideal preparation race for teams of sprinters who will participate in the Tour de France a few weeks later. In collaboration with PromOosterhout, the municipality will make it a major public event. Alderman Dees Melsen eagerly awaits the arrival of the ZLM Tour. “The ZLM Tour is an attractive Dutch professional round that a large audience comes to watch. A time when our downtown and our city will come alive. The last day of a cycling round is always important, special and interesting. There is enough space for the public to explore the finer aspects of the Burgundian Oosterhout.

Slotlaan as final piece

The ZLM Tour 2023 starts on Wednesday evening June 7 with a prologue in Heinkenszand. It can also be done in Zeeland on the second day. On this day, a classic ride through central Zeeland will be taken between Westkapelle and ‘s-Heerenhoek. Stage places for Friday and Saturday will be announced later. With a start and finish on Sunday June 11, Oosterhout forms the final part of the ZLM Tour. The start will be in the center, after which the riders will complete a large loop to the east. The race ends with a few local laps in the municipality of Oosterhout, where the finish line is crossed several times. At the end of the stage, the winner of the most important all-Dutch stage race will be honored on the podium. The place of action is the Slotlaan, south of the centre. The exact route between start and finish will follow later.

Oosterhout cycle city

In collaboration with PromOosterhout, the municipality has already organized several professional race finishes in Oosterhout. For example, the Eneco Tour (now Benelux Tour) and the BeNeLadies Tour (now Baloise Ladies Tour) arrived earlier in Oosterhout. Last summer, the Vuelta a España passed through Oosterhout. According to Alderman Arnoud Kastelijns, the seed has been planted there for a new chapter in Oosterhout’s cycling history. “When the Vuelta passed through Oosterhout in August last year, I saw the enthusiasm in Oosterhout and Oosteind. I had already been in contact with the organization of the ZLM Tour and saw a nice sporty combination there. Great initiatives were also organized during the Vuelta alongside the cycling round. How wonderful it can be if we can create the same configuration within our municipality for the next three years. Moreover, it is a great opportunity for young people and locals to experience the beauty of this sport up close,” said the Alderman for Sports.