Leeuwarden is a city and municipality in Friesland, Netherlands, with a population of 127,073 (2023). It is the provincial capital and seat of the Provincial Council of Friesland.
The Elfstedentocht is a long-distance tour skating event on natural ice, almost 200 kilometres (120 mi) long, which is held both as a speed skating competition and a leisure tour. The Elfstedentocht is the biggest ice-skating tour in the world.
The Tour de Langkawi is a multiple stage bicycle race held in Malaysia. It is named after the archipelago Langkawi, where the first edition started and finished. The race has been held annually since 1996, primarily in February. It usually consists of 10-day-long segments (stages) over 10 days, but has been reduced to eight stages over recent years. While the route changes each year, the Genting Highlands climb, the toughest in the tour, is always included. Tour de Langkawi is sanctioned by the International Cycling Union (UCI) as a 2.HC road race in the UCI Asia Tour calendar. The race became part of the UCI ProSeries in 2020.
The Eleven Cities Cycling Tour was originally a bicycle race in Friesland, Netherlands. In recent years, due to the number of participants, it has become a bicycle tour. It is the cycling counterpart of the Elfstedentocht ice-skating tour which is held irregularly on frozen waterways in the same region. The event attracts annually more than 15,000 participants and is considered one of the best cycle tours in the Netherlands.
Riwal Cycling Team was a Danish UCI Continental cycling team based in Himmerland. Riwal participated in races in many countries around Europe. The team's most popular achievements have been the Danmark Rundt, the Olympia's Tour in the Netherlands and the Okolo Slovenska. The team had 10 full-time riders. Most of the team riders were Danish but also includes Swedish, Dutch and Norwegian members. The team had one sports manager and several freelancers. It was founded in 2009 and merged in 2023 with team Leopard Pro Cycling from Luxemburg, to form Leopard Riwal.
Coen Vermeltfoort is a Dutch racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Continental team VolkerWessels Cycling Team.
Luka Mezgec is a Slovenian road bicycle racer, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Team Jayco–AlUla. After scoring numerous podium finishes in 2013, Mezgec finally tasted victory on the fifth stage of the Tour of Beijing. He was named in the start list for the 2015 Vuelta a España.
Elmar Reinders is a Dutch racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Team Jayco–AlUla.
Jasper Philipsen is a Belgian professional cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Alpecin–Deceuninck. Specialising as a sprinter, he has won nine stages in the Tour de France and three in the Vuelta a España, and the points classification in the 2023 Tour de France.
Rick Ottema is a Dutch cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Continental team Diftar Continental Cyclingteam.
Joshua Huppertz is a German cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Continental team Team Lotto–Kern Haus PSD Bank.
Edoardo Affini is an Italian cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Visma–Lease a Bike. A time trial specialist, Affini won the 2024 European Championships, having also won the under-23 championship in 2018. Other victories of his include stages of the Tour of Norway and Tour of Britain, both in 2019.
Lionel Taminiaux is a Belgian cyclist, who currently rides for UCI ProTeam Lotto–Dstny.
Olav Kooij is a Dutch professional racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Visma–Lease a Bike.
Mick van Dijke is a Dutch professional racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Visma–Lease a Bike. His twin brother Tim van Dijke also rides for the same formation.
Tim Torn Teutenberg is a German cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Continental team Lidl–Trek Future Racing.
Rick Pluimers is a Dutch professional racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI ProTeam Tudor Pro Cycling Team.
Hartthijs de Vries is a Dutch cyclist, who currently rides for UCI ProTeam TDT–Unibet Cycling Team.
Davide Bomboi is a Belgian road cyclist, who currently rides for UCI ProTeam TDT–Unibet Cycling Team. Bomboi is the cousin of a former professional cyclist Tom Boonen.
Huub Artz is a Dutch cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Continental team Wanty–ReUz–Technord. In 2025, he will join UCI WorldTeam Intermarché–Wanty on a two-year contract.
Elmar Reinders (NED)
