A new ultragravel race was born on June 25th 2022 in The Netherlands – the Flatlands 300. As the name suggests, it is 300 kilometers in length, over sandy tracks, gravel roads and cobblestones. The event had an A-B style route which led south from Drenthe towards Arnhem and then turned west to the finish at Lage Vuursche near Utrecht. 

More than 150 gravel riders started exactly at 6 am from Landgoed Mariahoeve. Taking part in the event were former world tour pros Laurens ten Dam and Thomas Dekker, who were happy to pose for photos with other participants. 

I had recovered well from my hard crash at THE TRAKKA 200 in Spain in early May and was feeling confident. Instead of slicks, this time I used the Continental Terra Speed tubeless tyres, which were supposed to have more grip on the sandy tracks.

The first part of the Flatlands 300 was a combination of gravel, sand and cobbled surfaces. Most of this first section we rode on sandy roads, which were at times a bit of a challenge with narrow tyres! After leaving the Gees forest area at Km 40, we hit the farmland in the south part of Drenthe. 

At Nieuwlande we arrived in the province of Overijssel. This area was marked by farmland roads and small villages. After Km 80 we rode on the first section of singletrack. This part was nice and flowy – perfect for gravelbikes and a great way to connect some beautiful forest sections. Leading up to the first checkpoint there were always small groups in which I could ride in the slipstream to save energy.

At Lemele we find the first checkpoint of Flatlands 300. Here there was pasta, coffee and baked goods as well as drinks to fill up our bottles. 

The National Park of the Sallandse Ridge was the next highlight. This region is characterised by dark forests and gravel tracks going up and down. From Km 114 onwards a long section started with gravel tracks and crushed limestone cycle paths through forests and heathland fields. 

Near Bathem, the route followed the Oxerzand, one of the best gravel roads in the area. Next we headed along small unpaved cycle paths close to the hamlet of Joppe. After crossing the River Ijssel, it was full gas again to the biggest nature park of The Netherlands, the Veluwe. 

Here I could no longer follow the groups. I had to slow down so as not to arrive at the next checkpoint totally cooked! Flatlands 300 would not be a ‘proper’ gravel tour of this area without including some of the infamous Deelerwoud gravelroads. Just before checkpoint 2, we rode the famous multi-line section of smooth gravel, which has been frequently photographed.

At checkpoint 2 it was very quiet. I no longer felt the hectic pace of checkpoint 1. Many gravel bikers already looked very tired. From here it was another 100 kms with a headwind to the finish. Now it seemed to be everyone for themselves and from here onwards I rode alone without meeting any other participants. After the checkpoint, the 4 kilometer long sandy stretch was a real challenge. Next, I entered the Planken Wambuis, a nature site in the Veluwe filled with crushed limestone paths and fine gravel. Our next target was the summit of Amerongse Hill the highest point in Utrecht at 55m above sea level, which we reached via a forest road climb. After that, we descended and headed for The Proloog Café, the last checkpoint. 

As always at endurance races, I filled my bottles with coke for the last 40 kilometers. After Amerongen I rode on the path across the Let de Stigterpad – named after the first chairman of the national park – from the east to the west side. When I finally left the hilly section, I arrived at the last challenge of the event - the climb of the Pyramide of Austerlitz, a 36m pyramid of clay built by Napoleon’s soldiers in 1804. 

After 11 hours and 25 minutes I eventually crossed the finish line in Lage Vuursche. I was totally exhausted, but happy to have made it through without either a crash or mechanical breakdown. Even with just a few meters of elevation gain, the length of the route at 300 kilometers and the battle against the wind proved to be a real challenge.

Flatlands 300 was a gravel ultra event that led us through some of the most remote and beautiful parts of The Netherlands. The route included multiple national parks, endless forests and lots of fresh crunchy gravel and was absolutely perfect!