Race around The Netherlands

Bikes are demanded to have:
a working brake,
a bell,

And when riding in the dark:
a white light at the front,
a red light & reflector at the back (can be one combined item),
amber reflectors on both sides of the pedals,
reflective stripes on the tyres, or wheel rims.

There are hardly ever any checks done on these last demands*, just be sure to carry working lights.

footnote:
except for some places where the police force is training new staff, like I happen to live in.

Been planning sleep places based on a number of scenarios/headwind for this.

Such a great feeling seeing a BK right on the route roughly where you plan to sleep.

a bell

I have a feeling I kept mine from when I was touring back in 2005. Fingers crossed...

planning

wut?

BK

Burger King? Bier, frites and bitterballen forced down with stroopwafels or gtfo >>>

Some of us are bored at work.....

Yeah, normally when that happens I spend the time mocking 'hosepipe' and the pronunciation of words like taco and pasta here. Then we somehow got onto the Hermann ze German statue and roman goddesses as representatives for countries (Hibernia, Britannia, etc).

Are we allowed to draft behind/with fellow cyclists who are participating in the race?

It's on the website:

3) No Drafting at any time.
(pair riders may draft each other)

Thanks @Tijs
I looked at the route profile and it looks really flat which is tempting me to give it a shot on my TT bike (Giant Trinity) but I have no idea about the wind on this route. Does anyone here have any experience or insight about this?
Otherwise I'll just do it on my road bike.

it looks really flat which is tempting me to give it a shot on my TT bike

What wheels? The Netherlands can be pretty windy, but I reckon it's perfectly doable on a TT bike with (semi) deep carbon wheels.

I'm playing a similar game when procrastinating at work. I just found a road-side chip van called Foppens Franse Frietjes (the Fool's French Fries) in a lay-by south of t'Harde, so that's definitely going to be a planned food stop on Day 1.

Foppens Franse Frietjes (the Fool's French Fries)

I believe Foppen is the owner's name, so please don't call them a fool when ordering your fries.

Fappen's frite sauce? Do not want.

Damn, there goes my plan to march in and demand, "Fool, give me my fries".

I'll save that for BK.

Best Western Hotel in Coevorden do the best best four cheese soup I have ever had.

They all do an incredible breakfast.

Just for reference.

The race was previously capped at 90 riders, but they've just announced an additional 60 places which are immediately available for registration.

Anyone from UK/London racing this? As with Transiberica, I have a BA Companion voucher to use that might work out cheaper than paying for your own ticket(s) to Amsterdam. I was going to enjoy a relaxing ferry ride across but if I can split a cheaper BA flight it might work out better.

If you fly from Edinburgh yeah....

Yeah nah

On a side point.

I’ll be arriving into Amsterdam and hiring a car to drive down. We can arrange nearer the time but I’d be up for a car share.

Cool, keep me in mind. I've not committed to anything yet. If I can use the voucher for this with someone then I'm more likely to fly to Amsterdam. If not, I like the idea of the ferry overnighter with no bike boxing involved.

I’m probably ferry from Newcastle at the minute but I’ll still obviously need to get down to the start and car seems easier.

If you've not done it before, the harwich to hoek ferry is really nice. I've done it maybe 15 times. Half of those were when flights were fucked up and I was working in Amsterdam. Train connections are really good.

Train connections are really good.

The train connection to and from Hook of Holland is no longer there. It has been replaced will be replaced by a subway line. Seems like the only option is the bus at the moment, which doesn't take bicycles.

Dutch article: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2017/03/31/hier-komt-nooit-meer-een-trein-maar-wel-een-metro-7798051-a1552536

The Hague is 20k away though, which has all the connections.

I've not done it. Watched seat61 video and it looks pretty slick.