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It’s indicative of the ever-expanding nature of the Women’s WorldTour calendar that this year’s edition of the Ronde Van Drenthe constitutes the sixth round of the series – by contrast, it was the second race on the schedule last year. As the WWT is well underway, the riders in the women’s peloton have had a chance to find their form and to look at one another, and with teams bringing stacked line-ups to play it promises to be a scintillating fight to the line.
The 2023 Ronde Van Drenthe takes place on 11th March. Where Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Strade Bianche offer opportunities for the punchier riders and cobbled specialists, the Ronde Van Drenthe provides a contrast in that it ordinarily ends in a bunch sprint. The race still presents a variety of challenges, including a selection of cobbled sectors and repeated ascents of the VAM-berg, but the final will likely come down to a gallop for the line, and teams are sending their biggest hitters along for the ride.
The past two editions have been won by Lorena Wiebes. The Dutch rider, then riding for Team DSM, won on home soil in 2022 beating Elisa Balsamo in a fixture that’s becoming renowned as an early season sprint royale, a race that is always likely to offer a big opportunity for the fast women who can handle the rigours of some cobbles and bergs along the way.
Route
Taking place in the Drenthe province in the north of the Netherlands, the women’s edition of the race dates back to 2007. This year will be the 16th edition of the event, which has been a WWT-sanctioned race since 2016.
152.7km in length, the 2023 edition of the Ronde van Drenthe takes a new route through the province, beginning in Emmen and travelling to the same destination as last year’s race, in Hoogeveen. The route is primarily flat, although it features a number of cobbled sectors – nine in total – all spaced along the first 60km of the route.
The conditions could also play a part in the outcome of the day, with cold, wet and windy weather forecast. Dependent on wind direction, teams may have to pay close attention in the event of echelons.
The cobbles and the VAM-berg play an important part in the Ronde van Drenthe (Image: Getty/Luc Claessen)
The primary obstacle for the riders is the VAM-berg. The manmade climb, built on top of a landfill site, is 500m in length with an average gradient of 4.2% but featuring pitches of up to 20%. The first ascent comes after 80km, and the route takes in…
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