The hardest time trial in the world? Riders suffer at Dutch Headwind Championships (video)
Dutch riders take time trialing to an extreme as they battle force nine gales along a storm barrier


>>> Ultracyclist sets world record for cycling 2,800km on a turbo in six days (video)
The Netherlands can be windy, very windy. And as the Dutch love their cycling, it seems these two ingredients were probably the catalysts behind the somewhat mad creation of the Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships.
Taking place on the Oosterscheldekering storm barrier that faces out on to the North Sea, competitors must ride the hellish 8.5km course into a 90kmph head wind, and not only that, they've got to do it on upright single-speed bikes, just to make it that little bit harder.
The event was organised within two days according to the video, as organisers waited for the 'perfect' conditions to hold the championships, and as you can see below, it looked pretty damn difficult.
The winner, Wouter Mesker, finished with a time of 18 minutes and six seconds, averaging over 28kmph, which is impressive stuff. Former pro mountain biker Bart Brentjens, who was defending champion, managed to place ninth after somewhat understating the weather conditions by saying "it's pretty bad today."
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Follow on Twitter: @richwindy
Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.
An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).
-
-
Dinosaurs instead of ducks: Rapha and Palace roll out cartoon critters with celebratory EF Education kit
The kit will be worn by both EF Education-Tibco-SVB and EF Education-EasyPost to celebrate the return of the Tour de France Femmes
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Enve launches G series dropper post with a neat new lever
Enve opts for an inverted design for its first foray into the world of droppers
By Stefan Abram • Published