Benelux Tour facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Benelux Tour

Renewi tour-logo-2023.svg
Race details
Date	August
Region	Benelux
Discipline	Road
Competition	UCI World Tour
Type	Stage-race
Race director	Rob Discart
History
First edition	2005 (2005)
Editions	18 (as of 2023)
First winner	Bobby Julich (USA)
Most wins	Tim Wellens (BEL) (3)
Most recent	Tim Wellens (BEL)

The Benelux Tour is a super exciting bike race that happens in the Benelux countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, and sometimes Luxembourg. It's a "stage-race," which means it's not just one long ride, but several shorter races (stages) over a few days. Think of it like a mini-series of bike races!

This tour is part of the UCI World Tour, which is like the top league for professional cycling around the world. Only the best teams and riders compete here. The race started in 2005 and has had a few different names over the years, usually because of its main sponsor. It was first called the Eneco Tour, then the BinckBank Tour, and now it's known as the Renewi Tour. In 2022, the race took a break, but it was back in 2023!

History of the Race

The Benelux Tour actually grew out of an older race called the Tour of the Netherlands. That race began way back in 1948, but it didn't happen every year until 1975. Around the year 2000, it became known as the Eneco Tour.

In 2005, the world of cycling changed with the start of the UCI's ProTour (the top level of racing). The old Tour of the Netherlands needed to become more exciting and challenging to join this new big league. So, the organizers teamed up with the people who ran the Tour of Belgium. They wanted to create a bigger, tougher race that would cover more ground in the Benelux region.

Even though they hoped to include Luxembourg, the Benelux Tour hasn't actually gone into Luxembourg yet. But it's still a fantastic race that brings together the best cyclists from around the globe!

What are the Jerseys?

In bike races, leaders wear special colored jerseys. These jerseys show who is leading in different parts of the competition. The colors of these jerseys have changed over the years, often when a new sponsor came along.

Here's a look at the different jerseys used in the Benelux Tour:

Year(s)	General	Points	Mountains	Young	Combativity
2005					No classification
2006			No classification
2007			No jersey	No classification
2008
2009			No classification
2010–2011
2012–2014				No classification
2015–2016
2017
2018
2019–2020
2021
2023

Race Winners

Many amazing cyclists have won the Benelux Tour and its different classifications. Here are some of the champions:

General Classification Winners

The General Classification winner is the cyclist who finishes the entire stage race in the shortest total time. This is the main prize!

Points Classification Winners

The Points Classification rewards the most consistent sprinters and riders who finish well in stages. Riders earn points for high finishes.

Mountains Classification Winners

This classification is for the best climbers. Riders get points for being first to the top of certain hills or mountains. This classification was only part of the race in a few early years.

• 2005 :  Christian Vande Velde (USA)
• 2007 :  Martin Pedersen (DEN)
• 2008 :  Floris Goesinnen (NED)

Young Rider Classification Winners

The Young Rider Classification is for cyclists under 25 years old. It highlights the rising stars of the sport!

• 2005 :  Thomas Dekker (NED)
• 2006 :  Stefan Schumacher (GER)
• 2010 :  Tony Martin (GER)
• 2011 :  Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR)
• 2023 :  Arnaud De Lie (BEL)

Combativity Classification Winners

The Combativity Classification is given to the rider who shows the most fighting spirit and attacks during the race, even if they don't win.

Team Classification Winners

The Team Classification is for the best overall team in the race. It's about teamwork and how well the riders support each other.

Most Stage Wins

Some cyclists are really good at winning individual stages of the race. Here are the riders with the most stage wins in the Benelux Tour: Last updated after the 2023 Renewi Tour:

	Cyclist	# Stages
1	Tom Boonen (BEL)	7
	André Greipel (GER)	7
3	Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR)	5
4	Peter Sagan (SVK)	4
	Tim Wellens (BEL)	4
6	Tyler Farrar (USA)	3
	Zdeněk Štybar (CZE)	3
	Sam Bennett (IRL)	3
9	Alessandro Ballan (ITA)	2
	Sylvain Chavanel (FRA)	2
	Philippe Gilbert (BEL)	2
	Marcel Kittel (GER)	2
	Robbie McEwen (AUS)	2
	Tim Merlier (BEL)	2
	Matej Mohorič (SLO)	2
	Jasper Philipsen (BEL)	2
	Manuel Quinziato (ITA)	2
	Svein Tuft (CAN)	2
	Max van Heeswijk (NED)	2