Brabantse Strade Bianche

The Brabantse Strade Bianche calls itself the gravel classic of the Netherlands, and Wielerclub Mill, the club that runs it, describes it as the oldest organised gravel ride in the country. Since 2014 the organisers have strung together the finest little paths of the Land van Cuijk, and they promise that even riders who know the event will be surprised by the route.

The territory is the sandy east of North Brabant. The routes take in the Staatsbossen near Sint Anthonis, a woodland and heath area with real white roads, the Molenheide between Mill, Wilbertoord and Wanroij, and De Vilt, a wetland reserve near Beugen that holds an old bend of the Maas. Riders also follow paths beside the casemates of the Defensiekanaal, part of the Peel-Raam defence line, and pass the Tongelaar estate and the Gasselse bossen, a former production forest now given back to nature and recreation.

It is a relaxed day on the bike rather than a race: the ride is listed on the Dutch Fietssport calendar as a gravel tour followed by GPS, and it comes from a touring club whose own motto pairs cycling pleasure with a dark beer.