The Renewi Tour, the only UCI WorldTour-level stage race in the Benelux, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The greenest and most sustainable race on the cycling calendar starts in Terneuzen in the Netherlands on Wednesday and concludes in Leuven in Belgium on Sunday. Tim Wellens is aiming for a third consecutive overall victory, with Mathieu van der Poel one of his biggest challengers. The programme also features plenty of fun extra events for the general public next week.
The first stage of the 2025 Renewi Tour will take place in Zeeland on Wednesday, taking the riders from Terneuzen to Breskens, a flat stage with a real chance of echelons. Tonight, from 5.30 p.m., the Market Square in Terneuzen will be the setting for the official teams presentation.
On Thursday, the Renewi Tour crosses the border. The West Flemish stage from Blankenberge to Ardooie promises to be a classic sprinters’ stage. On Friday, after the start in Aalter, the peloton heads for the Flemish Ardennes. The finish is on the Vesten in Geraardsbergen, after twice climbing the Muur van Geraardsbergen and Bosberg along the way. This is the queen stage of the 2025 Renewi Tour!
But the final weekend will also be action-packed. On Saturday, the riders will race from Riemst to Bilzen-Hoeselt in Belgian Limburg, with numerous short climbs on the local circuit, ideal for explosive riders.
Leuven-Leuven is the final stage on Sunday. The route builds on the 2021 World Championships and the course of previous editions of the Tour of Leuven, formerly the Memorial Jef Scherens, which will now be integrated into the Renewi Tour. It is a worthy, tough final stage with lots of climbs in the city centre of Leuven and the wider region around the city. Until at least 2028, the capital of Flemish Brabant will be the start and finish of the final stage of the Renewi Tour.
Top Riders
The strong field of riders for the Renewi Tour is once again a mix of classics specialists and the fastest legs in the peloton. Mathieu van der Poel will start his first race after the Tour de France on Wednesday and could well be standing on the podium as the overall winner in Leuven on Sunday. That would make it his second overall victory in the Renewi Tour since 2020. But the top favourite is Belgian Champion Tim Wellens, who is going for his third consecutive overall victory and fifth in total.
Another former winner (2018) at the start is Slovenian Matej Mohoric. Other new contenders for the overall victory are without a doubt Biniam Girmay, Jasper Stuyven, Thibau Nys, Florian Vermeersch and, who knows, Dutch top talent Tibor Del Grosso. Former Belgian Champion Arnaud De Lie also has a powerful punch and can aim high in the general classification and in the bunch sprints, where he will have to contend with Olav Kooij and European Champion Tim Merlier.
Other names to keep an eye on over the next five days include Christophe Laporte, Alberto Bettiol, Kasper Asgreen, Mathias Vacek and Jenno Berckmoes.
Sustainability
Organiser Golazo and recycling company and title partner Renewi have once again developed numerous initiatives this year to make the Renewi Tour the greenest and most sustainable race on the cycling calendar. For example, they will be running a water bottle campaign inviting everyone to hand in their old water bottles in the stage towns, and the medals for the stage winners and the final podium will be made from old water bottles.
A selection of other initiatives:
• Use of battery packs and green energy for inflatable structures on site
• Waste zones in the riders’ village and sorted waste processing in the VIP zones, which will also offer vegetarian alternatives in glass or china
• Use of reusable water bottles for all crew members
• Electric race caravan thanks to Skoda
Side events
Cycling fans can enjoy five days of sporting spectacle offered by the Renewi Tour, but can also actively participate in some fun extra events:
• Fat Tyre Race in Breskens on Wednesday from 1 p.m. for children up to the age of 12
• Euro Shop Kids Ride in Ardooie on Thursday from 1.30 p.m. for children up to the age of 12
• Ride Leuven in Leuven on Sunday: Everyone can cycle along the course where the peloton will ride the final stage later that day; choose from 20, 70 or 125 km; register on https://rideleuven.be
PRACTICAL INFO RENEWI TOUR 2025
Stage schedule:
• Tuesday 19 August 2025: Teams presentation Terneuzen (NETH)
• Wednesday 20 August 2025: Stage 1: Terneuzen (NETH) – Breskens (NETH)
• Thursday 21 August 2025: Stage 2: Blankenberge (BEL) – Ardooie (BEL)
• Friday 22 August 2025: Stage 3: Aalter (BEL) – Geraardsbergen (BEL)
• Saturday 23 August 2025: Stage 4: Riemst (BEL) – Bilzen-Hoeselt (BEL)
• Sunday 24 August 2025: Stage 5: Leuven (BEL) – Leuven (BEL)
Live on TV:
The 2025 Renewi Tour will be broadcast live on VRT Sporza, Tipik (RTBF) and Eurosport.
