Renewi Tour
The Renewi Tour is a UCI WorldTour stage race traditionally held across Belgium and the Netherlands. Raced in August, the event combines flat stages exposed to crosswinds with cobbled climbs, short hills and occasional time trials. Its varied terrain makes it one of the few stage races where sprinters, Classics specialists and powerful all rounders can all compete for success.
When was the first edition of the Renewi Tour?
The first edition was held in 2005, when the race was known as the Eneco Tour of Benelux. American rider Bobby Julich won the inaugural event after taking victory in the final individual time trial in Etten Leur, finishing ahead of Erik Dekker and Leif Hoste in the general classification.
The race formed part of the newly created UCI ProTour and immediately brought together stages in Belgium and the Netherlands. It has remained at the highest level of professional road cycling ever since.
How did the Renewi Tour come into existence?
The modern race was created in 2005 as part of the introduction of the UCI ProTour. It developed from the Ronde van Nederland, with organisers expanding the concept beyond the Netherlands and working with Belgian partners to create a stage race capable of joining cycling's new top level calendar.
Eneco became title sponsor and the event was known as the Eneco Tour until 2016. BinckBank took over the naming rights in 2017, before the race became the Benelux Tour in 2021. After the 2022 edition was cancelled, waste management company Renewi became title sponsor when the race returned in 2023.
Who has won the Renewi Tour the most times?
Tim Wellens holds the record with four overall victories. The Belgian won in 2014 and 2015 before returning almost a decade later to claim consecutive victories in 2023 and 2024.
José Iván Gutiérrez and Edvald Boasson Hagen are the only other riders to have won the race more than once. Gutiérrez took consecutive victories in 2007 and 2008, while Boasson Hagen won in 2009 and 2011.
Where is the Renewi Tour held?
The Renewi Tour is traditionally raced across Belgium and the Netherlands, with the route changing significantly from year to year. Flat stages in coastal regions create opportunities for sprinters and can be heavily influenced by crosswinds, while the harder stages often use roads associated with the spring Classics.
Geraardsbergen has regularly played a decisive role, with climbs such as the Muur and Bosberg providing a Classics style test. The race also frequently visits Limburg, where short climbs and technical roads can create further differences in the general classification. The 2026 edition is an exception to the traditional cross border format, with all five stages taking place in Belgium.
Who won the most recent edition?
In 2025, the Renewi Tour was won by Arnaud De Lie. The Belgian entered the final stage around Leuven with a one second advantage over Mathieu van der Poel, setting up a dramatic fight for the overall victory.
Van der Poel briefly moved ahead virtually after collecting bonus seconds during the stage, but De Lie responded by winning the final sprint in Leuven. He secured the overall classification by three seconds over Van der Poel, with four time winner Tim Wellens completing the podium. It was De Lie's first overall victory in a UCI WorldTour stage race.
What classification does the Renewi Tour have?
The Renewi Tour is classified as a 2.UWT event, meaning it is a stage race on the UCI WorldTour, the highest level of professional men's road cycling. In 2026 it is the only multi stage UCI WorldTour race held in the Benelux region.
