From Friday 19 to Sunday 21 August 2022, the Netherlands will be in the spotlight of the world of international cycling when the Tour of Spain passes through our country. On Saturday, the cyclists will climb the Amerongse Berg, among others, to earn the first mountain points of this round.
This is a good opportunity to highlight the geological genesis of the Netherlands and its influence on today’s landscape. Few people will know, for example, that the Amerongse Berg was formed by a land icecap hundreds of metres thick that pushed up sand, gravel, and clay layers to form the Utrechtse Heuvelrug during the penultimate ice age. This is why TNO’s Geological Survey of the Netherlands (GDN) helped provide the geological background on the course in the official programme book.
Cycling tourists who want to discover the Rivers Region and the Utrechtse Heuvelrug for themselves can cycle the Geological Cycling Excursion. Over a distance of 42 kilometres, this route near Utrecht introduces cyclists to the genesis of the Central Netherlands landscape, which has been shaped by ice, wind, water, and human activity. During the highly varied route, ample attention is also paid to the influence geology has had on the layout of the area since Roman times. The associated map contains practical information, such as cycling nodes, places of interest, and a selection of catering establishments enroute.
