Description
May 23, 2026
38th Veenendaal – Veenendaal ME 2026 🇳🇱 (1.1) ME – Veenendaal – Veenendaal : 178,8 km
Veenendaal-Veenendaal ME is a UCI 1.1 classification that unfurls across the flat,
Show more...
May 23, 2026
38th Veenendaal – Veenendaal ME 2026 🇳🇱 (1.1) ME – Veenendaal – Veenendaal : 178,8 km
Veenendaal-Veenendaal ME is a UCI 1.1 classification that unfurls across the flat, windswept expanses of the central Netherlands, where the roads stretch endlessly through vast polders, industrial zones, and quiet rural villages under skies that shift between brooding clouds and fleeting sunlight. The terrain is deceptively simple—almost entirely flat—yet the race is defined by its relentless exposure to the elements, particularly the crosswinds that howl in from the North Sea, turning the peloton into a fractured, high-stakes chess match. The roads are narrow, often lined with barriers or drainage ditches, and punctuated by sharp turns, roundabouts, and sudden changes in direction that demand constant focus and precise bike handling. The absence of climbs places a premium on raw power, positioning, and the ability to read the wind, as even the slightest shift in direction can split the peloton into echelons. The race dynamics are dictated by these wind-exposed stretches, where the peloton splinters into small groups, and riders must fight for shelter or risk being dropped in an instant. Attacks often launch during moments of crosswind chaos, with small groups gaining a temporary advantage before the peloton reorganizes, only for the wind to strike again. The final kilometers feature a technical run-in through the streets of Veenendaal, where the roads narrow further, and the pace accelerates toward a high-speed sprint finish. The Veenendaal-Veenendaal ME is a race that rewards strength, tactical awareness, and resilience, transforming the seemingly straightforward Dutch landscape into a battleground of strategy and endurance.
Two weeks after he had to quit the Giro d’Italia because of concussion, Matteo Moschetti (Pinarello-Q36.5) has claimed his first win of the season in the Veenendaal Classic.
Moschetti was able to take the win in the fast and fraught Dutch one-day race by a narrow but convincing margin over Manuel Penalver (Polti-VisitMalta) and Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL).
The Italian was a victim of the late mass crash on stage 1 in the Giro’s opening bunch sprint, completing the course but then being a DNS for stage 2. In Holland, the 29-year-old Italian was able to claim the 15th victory of his career and first since a stage of the Vuelta a Burgos last summer.
First run in 1985, Veenendaal itself was back on the agenda after a year missing from the calendar because of country-wide policing issues for bike races. On its return, it reverted to its traditional flat, technical course that has often favoured the sprinters in the past – like Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets), Veenendaal’s record-holder with five wins, but currently racing the Giro.
On the ultra-fast course with three long laps of 41 kilometres followed by two shorter ones of 23 kilometres, there were multiple attempts at early breakaways flourished and equally quickly collapsed. One of the most promising included one 11-man move by specialist Taco van de Hoorn (Lotto Intermarché), riding just his second race of 2026 after concussion and a knee injury sparked yet another period of recovery.
However, none could gain more than a handful of seconds until mid-race a four-rider move materialised with Patrick Gamper (Jayco-AUIa), Bram Danklof (Azerion / Villa Valkenburg), Bram Dissel (BEAT CC p/b Saxo) adn Silas Koech (Lotto Kern-Haus Outlet Montabau). These four made it over the minute mark and were still ahead on the final 23 kilometre lap, only for Pinarello-Q36.5, Lotto-Intermarché and Alpecin-Premier Tech to begin the process of reeling them in remorselessly as the finish line approached.
Alpecin’s master plan with Gerben Thijssen came unstuck when the Belgian sprinter crashed, but even if the crosswinds reduced the size of the bunch, there was still next to no chance of the four ahead getting to the finish. Rather, things continued to move in the sprinters’ favour, with Moschetti finally able to claim a narrow but clear win over his closest rivals.
Results :
 ME </strong> - Veenendaal - Veenendaal : 178,8 km
<!--more-->
Veenendaal-Veenendaal ME is a UCI 1.1 classification that unfurls across the flat, windswept expanses of the central Netherlands, where the roads stretch endlessly through vast polders, industrial zones, and quiet rural villages under skies that shift between brooding clouds and fleeting sunlight. The terrain is deceptively simple—almost entirely flat—yet the race is defined by its relentless exposure to the elements, particularly the crosswinds that howl in from the North Sea, turning the peloton into a fractured, high-stakes chess match. The roads are narrow, often lined with barriers or drainage ditches, and punctuated by sharp turns, roundabouts, and sudden changes in direction that demand constant focus and precise bike handling. The absence of climbs places a premium on raw power, positioning, and the ability to read the wind, as even the slightest shift in direction can split the peloton into echelons. The race dynamics are dictated by these wind-exposed stretches, where the peloton splinters into small groups, and riders must fight for shelter or risk being dropped in an instant. Attacks often launch during moments of crosswind chaos, with small groups gaining a temporary advantage before the peloton reorganizes, only for the wind to strike again. The final kilometers feature a technical run-in through the streets of Veenendaal, where the roads narrow further, and the pace accelerates toward a high-speed sprint finish. The Veenendaal-Veenendaal ME is a race that rewards strength, tactical awareness, and resilience, transforming the seemingly straightforward Dutch landscape into a battleground of strategy and endurance.
Two weeks after he had to quit the Giro d'Italia because of concussion, Matteo Moschetti (Pinarello-Q36.5) has claimed his first win of the season in the Veenendaal Classic.
Moschetti was able to take the win in the fast and fraught Dutch one-day race by a narrow but convincing margin over Manuel Penalver (Polti-VisitMalta) and Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL).
The Italian was a victim of the late mass crash on stage 1 in the Giro's opening bunch sprint, completing the course but then being a DNS for stage 2. In Holland, the 29-year-old Italian was able to claim the 15th victory of his career and first since a stage of the Vuelta a Burgos last summer.
First run in 1985, Veenendaal itself was back on the agenda after a year missing from the calendar because of country-wide policing issues for bike races. On its return, it reverted to its traditional flat, technical course that has often favoured the sprinters in the past - like Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets), Veenendaal's record-holder with five wins, but currently racing the Giro.
On the ultra-fast course with three long laps of 41 kilometres followed by two shorter ones of 23 kilometres, there were multiple attempts at early breakaways flourished and equally quickly collapsed. One of the most promising included one 11-man move by specialist Taco van de Hoorn (Lotto Intermarché), riding just his second race of 2026 after concussion and a knee injury sparked yet another period of recovery.
However, none could gain more than a handful of seconds until mid-race a four-rider move materialised with Patrick Gamper (Jayco-AUIa), Bram Danklof (Azerion / Villa Valkenburg), Bram Dissel (BEAT CC p/b Saxo) adn Silas Koech (Lotto Kern-Haus Outlet Montabau). These four made it over the minute mark and were still ahead on the final 23 kilometre lap, only for Pinarello-Q36.5, Lotto-Intermarché and Alpecin-Premier Tech to begin the process of reeling them in remorselessly as the finish line approached.
Alpecin's master plan with Gerben Thijssen came unstuck when the Belgian sprinter crashed, but even if the crosswinds reduced the size of the bunch, there was still next to no chance of the four ahead getting to the finish. Rather, things continued to move in the sprinters' favour, with Moschetti finally able to claim a narrow but clear win over his closest rivals.
<strong>Results : </strong>
<iframe width="100%" height="730" scrolling="yes" frameborder="0" data-lazy-priority="low" data-lazy-src="https://firstcycling.com/widget/?r=50&y=2026&lang=EN&cn=1" src="https://firstcycling.com/widget/?r=50&y=2026&lang=EN&cn=1"></iframe>)
