Success of Drenthe's 2009 Vuelta start provokes race organisers to add second day to men's race
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Emma Johansson (Red Sun)(Image credit: Bert Geerts/dcp-bertgeerts@xs4all.nl)
The Drenthe region is gearing up for the arrival of La Vuelta and has the bulls to prove it.(Image credit: Bert Geerts)
Maurzio Biondi takes victory in the 2009 Ronde van Drenthe.(Image credit: DCP/Bert Geerts)
Organisers of The Netherlands' Ronde van Drenthe have announced that the 2010 edition of the men's race will be expanded to a two-day event for the first time.
Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reports that the expansion of the race has come after demand from residents of the Drenthe region. It was the host of the first two stages of this year's Vuelta a España.
The Vuelta's start "has motivated many more places in our province, who now want their own race, the Ronde van Drenthe, to visit their area. But it is impossible for the whole province to do this in one day, hence this extension," race organiser Femmy van Issum told De Telegraaf.
The race, which holds UCI1.1 status, will take place on April 10-11 and will also celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2010.
Since 2005, the women's event has also been incorporated into the International Cycling Union's (UCI) Women's road World Cup. Next year, the women's race, the Unive Ronde van Drenthe, will continue as a World Cup event. The one-day will take place on April 10.
In 2009, the men's Ronde van Drenthe was won by Italy's Maurizio Biondi (Ceramica Flaminia - Bossini Docce), while the women's World Cup race was won by Swede Emma Johansson (Red Sun Cycling Team).
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