We went to see the second stage of the Vuelta in Assen yesterday. The 202 km stage started in the city and passed through twice more on the way to the finish in Emmen.

There are many other videos on youtube, including a nice bit on the pave further south, some aerial shots including racing through Assen and the last few km and finish (just as we saw it on the local TV, but we had Dutch commentary).

Yesterday was the first stage of the Vuelta, a time trial on the TT track in Assen. 40000 people turned up to watch, and 10000 took part in the "tour version" of the race on Saturday morning.



There are also other videos of the tour version of the race, and some of the events at the TT circuit immediately beforehand, including police motorcyclists doing stunts, and an interview with Erik Dekker a few days beforehand.

An interview with the Swiss winner, Fabian Cancellara can be seen at 2:45 in this video.

This Saturday, the 64th edition of La Vuelta a España, one of the big three Grand Tours, starts here in Assen. The city is ready and waiting, there are Spanish and cycling themed things everywhere.

The scan is of one of the few pages every week that the local government prints in the local paper about what is going on in the city. This week, it's largely about La Vuelta.

There is more information on the city's website, the province's website, and of course the the official Vuelta website.

I hope to produce a better post about the racing when I've had a chance to see a little more. Unfortunately, I've been a bit busy lately and had no chance to get any photos but the ones of the additional street signs. There is a huge programme of activities which starts tonight with a team presentation at 17:00, but I know I'll miss that as it's the time when I'll be thinking about riding back from Groningen after work.

I will try to make the music tonight, and of course the racing itself. Thanks to a friend passing on tickets which he can't use, we've VIP tickets to the prologue on the TT track. We'll also be watching the riders racing in Assen on Sunday. They pass through the city three times, coming within 50 m of our home twice.

Anyway, I need to eat breakfast now and get myself to work...

Update a bit later in the day... This the team presentation which I missed today at 5pm. Apparently 10000 people turned up:

This week has seen the 45th Jeugdtour Assen. It's the largest youth cycling event in the world. This year it is being named "Junior la Vuelta" to tie in with the Vuelta a Espana, which is starting here in Assen later this month - the first time ever that it has started outside Spain.

Judy took the photo of cyclists in the criterium through the forest this morning. They're racing on one of the roughest surfaces in the area, which I'm beginning to think is maintained like this specifically to add a bit of "A Sunday in Hell" to racing events. I saw a little of the prologue on Monday, but unfortunately missed the rest. Our local TV station has a report from the prologue:



Well done to all the competitors. Results are appearing on the website.

In addition, I've learnt that the cycle racing track in Assen is to be improved. We've already got what I thought was a pretty good tarmac track for a town of 65000 (you can see some pictures in this video), but the existing 780 metre oval is to be extended and improved, and we'll gain a cyclo cross course, a national cyclo cross centre, a sportshall and a 200 metre wooden track. Excellent !

At 1:55 in the video there is an interview with a young cyclist from the UK (Cleveland Wheelers). I wonder if he realises he's been on TV over here ?

A short video has just been made available showing the route of the Vuelta a Espana next year. It's starting here in Assen on then 29th of August 2009. We have both the prologue on the TT track, and on the 30th of August the first stage starts in and passes back through the city. I'm really looking forward to this (as I mentioned earlier)

If you are interested in a cycling holiday to coincide with the Vuelta, please get in touch. Act soon as places will book very quickly.

I know where I'll be on August 29th and 30th next year...

Our local paper has revealed the route of the first stage of next year's Vuelta a Espana (the cycle racing tour of Spain). The Vuelta has only once before started outside Spain: in 1997 the start was in Lisbon in Portugal. However, the chosen starting place next year is right here in Assen.

On the 29th the riders will start with a prologue on Assen's motorbike TT circuit.

On the 30th they'll race the first stage, 201 km long through Drenthe. The start will be in Assen the route goes south to Hoogeveen turning North East and returning to Assen from the East through Grolloo and Rolde, then North as far as Groningen Eelde airport and back south to Assen, before going South East again to end the day at Emmen.

It's quite a ride. The route will no doubt be planned to take in some of the Paris-Roubaix style pave we've got hidden in the countryside here.

Addy Engels, a local rider who has raced in the Giro d'Italia six times, the Vuelta four times and the Tour de France once is hoping to win the stage on his home soil in Drenthe next year. I wish him the best of luck. Dutch riders have twice won the Vuelta overall.

There is also to be a touring version of the Vuelta in Drenthe. Further details will follow.

This isn't the only racing event in this area next year. We also have the Jeugdtour, the tour of Drenthe, the Erik Dekker Classic, the Triathlon...

I must have mentioned before that cycle racing is popular in this part of the world ? I may even be tempted out to have another go myself.

If you are interested in a cycling holiday to coincide with the Vuelta, please get in touch. Act soon as places will book very quickly.

There's a later post showing a map of the route.