Yesterday Drenthe was confirmed as the host region for the 2023 European Championships of cycling. It’s a quick return to the Netherlands for the European Championships after they stepped in to host the championships in Alkmaar back in 2019. That year, the Dutch women dominated a windy race. Attacking from the get-go they split the peloton into pieces. A small group containing Amy Pieters, Lisa Klein and Elena Cecchini broke clear and contested the win, with Pieters the strongest in the final sprint.
The 2023 championships will be held in the Dutch province from 20th to 24th September 2023. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the local feature of the VAMberg heavily involved in the racing. Unlike the 2022 event, the entirety of the European Championships will be held in the same place. The 2022 races are split between Munich for the Elites and Zlin/Brno in the Czech Republic for the Junior/U23 races. The split hosts are a regular occurrence at the European Championships, with the last time coming in 2018.
The Road European Championships are without doubt the pinnacle of cycling events on our continent and we are looking forward to a very important event in Drenthe in 2023. Sport in the Netherlands and especially in this province is synonymous with cycling. Its huge popularity and the organisation of major events in the past are already guarantee of success.
Enrico Della Casa, President of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme
During the 5 days of competition, just over 1000 riders from more than 40 countries will come to Drenthe to race. The races will be covered live, with coverage on Eurosport/GCN ensuring coverage all across Europe and further afield too. The current European Champions are Sonny Colbrelli and Ellen van Dijk on the road and Stefan Küng and Marlen Reusser in the time trial.
I wish to thank Drenthe Province, and Henk Brink, for his constant support and promotion of our sport, the Dutch Cycling Federation and its President Wouter Bos, and organisers of the Courage International Events BV, with the Director Thijs Rondhuis, a guarantee of top-level organisation as well as all the volunteers for their commitment and professionalism and the passion they have shown in preparing to organise these Championships.
Enrico Della Casa, President of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme
