Author Topic: Dutch National Headwind Championships  (Read 5038 times)

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Dutch National Headwind Championships
« on: 09 February, 2020, 11:38:55 am »


There's an orange alert for high winds, trains are cancelled, the UK is currently experiencing flooding and much storm damage.

Meanwhile in the Netherlands someone has the bright idea "Lovely weather for a bike race"

Over in Zeeland today they are holding the Dutch National Headwind Championships. On one of the big delta work dams cyclists will compete to ride as fast as they can into the wind.

But it's not as simple as that, these aren't cyclists turning up on their ultra aero, carbon fibre wonder machines, no. Each competitor is provided with a Dutch city bike, complete with lights, rear rack, and chain guard. They then ride these identical machines into the wind.

The event has no fixed date, they have to wait for the wind to be strong enough, and in the right direction, you usually get about 5-6 days notice.

You can get live info from twitter at:

https://twitter.com/NKTegenwind


I love the Dutch!

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Zed43

  • prefers UK hills over Dutch mountains
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #1 on: 09 February, 2020, 04:09:01 pm »
Even the Dutch had to yield...

The organisers had to cancel the event with 15 of 20 teams still waiting to ride because the road authorities closed the road, making it impossible to ferry the bicycles back from finish to start.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #2 on: 09 February, 2020, 04:17:27 pm »
Even the Dutch had to yield...

The organisers had to cancel the event with 15 of 20 teams still waiting to ride because the road authorities closed the road, making it impossible to ferry the bicycles back from finish to start.

Wow. The Dutch do have limits... Bravo for trying to organise the event anyway!

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #3 on: 09 February, 2020, 05:29:01 pm »
All individual riders could start though, it was only the team event that was affected.

Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #4 on: 10 February, 2020, 08:53:34 am »


Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #6 on: 11 February, 2020, 12:46:28 pm »
And Tom Scott turned up in his warm coat with a very fluffy microphone...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/VMinwf-kRlA&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/VMinwf-kRlA&rel=1</a>
https://youtu.be/VMinwf-kRlA

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #7 on: 11 February, 2020, 12:49:44 pm »

Wondered how long it would take for this video to get mentioned here.

Every bloody messaging platform I'm on, as soon as that video came out, someone has been sending me a link to it.

Grrrr.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #8 on: 09 January, 2021, 03:48:35 pm »
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Headwind_Cycling_Championships

I have just found that this exists. What a lovely idea!
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #9 on: 09 January, 2021, 03:49:40 pm »
Tom Scott did a one of his excellent videos about them last year:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/VMinwf-kRlA&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/VMinwf-kRlA&rel=1</a>
https://youtu.be/VMinwf-kRlA

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #10 on: 09 January, 2021, 04:55:22 pm »
Hey, QG!

Have you seen this yet?? https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=118031.0
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #11 on: 09 January, 2021, 05:03:16 pm »
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #12 on: 09 January, 2021, 05:17:57 pm »
You're welcome   :)
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

The Movers

  • We just work here
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #13 on: 09 January, 2021, 06:16:49 pm »
We merged these 'ere two freds.  Any risk of a cuppa?

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #14 on: 09 January, 2021, 07:23:53 pm »
'fraid not, the teabags blew away.

Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #15 on: 09 February, 2021, 02:49:44 pm »

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #16 on: 09 February, 2021, 04:47:26 pm »
Just like a Hebridean CC club run (or the first time Jaded visited me for a ride around the island)  ;D

Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #17 on: 09 February, 2021, 05:02:20 pm »
Just like a Hebridean CC club run (or the first time Jaded visited me for a ride around the island)  ;D

Or the Day I rode up to the butt of Lewis. The ride out was very quick, the journey back less so.  :-[

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #18 on: 06 February, 2022, 10:00:01 am »
All the usual photos and video floating around from today’s championships. Great stuff!
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Dutch National Headwind Championships
« Reply #19 on: 06 February, 2022, 05:40:54 pm »