Eneco makes return to bicycle racing
Eneco Tour for men and women from 2026 forwards
Starting this year, the Tour of Holland has been renamed the Eneco Tour. After 10 years’ absence, Eneco makes its return as the title sponsor of an international professional cycling event. The Simac Ladies Tour will be integrated into the event, so that the men’s and women’s editions of the Eneco Tour will be held at the same time. The Eneco Tour will take place from 13 to 18 October 2026.
Eneco and TIG Sports & Events have signed a 3-year deal, with the option of extending this to 5 years. This highlights not only the partners’ ambitions, but also their commitment to a long-term partnership with an eye to the future. Simac and NIBC, the previous name sponsors of the Simac Ladies Tour and the NIBC Tour of Holland, remain connected to the event.
The Eneco Tour is not a traditional tour race: instead, it is an innovative and compact event that showcases the strengths of the Netherlands as a cycling country on the international stage. It consists of multiple stages across different provinces, with a strong focus on the fan experience, sustainability and inclusion to create a modern and exciting sporting platform: welcoming, visible and forward-looking.
The Eneco Tour marks a new step in the connection between Eneco, sport and society. As an intrinsic part of Dutch culture and daily life, cycling and bicycle racing offer a natural podium for the brand experience and align with Eneco’s values. The years ahead will see the Eneco Tour become even more sustainable, while plans are also being made to share the Tour experience with customers. Examples include clinics and recreational tours.
Speaking for Eneco’s Management Board, Chief Customer Officer Selina Thurer says:
“We’re delighted to make our return as a sponsor in bicycle racing. The Eneco Tour and cycling are a perfect match for our mission of ‘everyone’s sustainable energy’, so we’re very excited about turning the Eneco Tour into ‘everyone’s sustainable event’. The partnership with TIG Sports presents numerous attractive commercial and societal opportunities to create even more awareness of the Eneco brand.”
Eneco Tour race director Roxane Knetemann comments:
“It’s significant to be joined right now by a partner of Eneco’s calibre, with such a rich history in the sport. Eneco understands and appreciates that the future of bicycle racing lies in reinventing how the sport is organised: on sustainable and inclusive principles. Both men and women will have complete races, covering the whole of the Netherlands. We are building a platform that has not only sporting but also societal relevance, and that will generate confidence and energy for the long term.”
Niels Markensteijn of TIG Sports & Events adds:
“The Tour of Holland has always tried new things, being more compact and based on innovation, sustainability and the fan experience. Having Eneco as our partner to give this shape and carry it forward reinforces exactly what this event represents: a modern cycling race that puts the Netherlands on the map and at the same time raises the bar for the future.”