The Nieuwsblad Cycling Series were launched three years ago. This year, the number of competitions has been increased to nine. Riders with intellectual disabilities are given the opportunity to ride their competition on the course of the professional riders.

Danilith Nokere Koerse is the first to start. The competition itself is a newcomer and for the first time, the athletes with intellectual disabilities will also ride on cobblestones. According to Gunter Van De Sompel, manager of the cycling team within Special Olympics Belgium, this is an experiment. “If we see that it goes well in Nokere, we will continue with cobblestone sections.”

On Saturday, 24 riders from Special Olympics Belgium will start. They ride in different categories. The Danilith Nokere Koerse team is also organizing a competition for juniors on Saturday. The professional riders – women and men – will race on Wednesday, March 19.

The chairman of the organizing committee, Robrecht Bothuyne, calls it very logical that Special Olympics Belgium is part of Nokere Koerse. “Nokere Koerse is synonymous with a public festival. We once started as a fair race, and we want to keep that popular character. We have already extended our competition to young people, and now the G-athletes are also part of our story.”

According to Robrecht Bothuyne, there is still too much ignorance among the population about the talents of Special Olympics athletes. “This is a story of inclusion for us, with which we want to show what people with disabilities can do. Rather than focusing on their disability, we want to showcase their talents.”

Victor D’Hondt will also be at the start on Saturday. The nineteen-year-old rider received the public award at the sports gala in Kruisem, and Nokere is proud to have the multiple medal winner of the Special Olympics Belgium National Games 2024 among the participants.

The competition for the athletes of Special Olympics Belgium starts at 2 PM. The award ceremony is scheduled for 3:29 PM. The 24 riders will ride two to four laps in five different categories on the new 6.6 km course. Start and finish in the Waregemsestraat.

After Danilith Nokere Koerse, the Tour of Limburg is on the agenda on April 16 as the second competition of the Nieuwsblad Cycling Series.

Meanwhile, it has been announced that the athletes of Special Olympics Belgium will ride in Maldegem on Saturday, July 19, during the day before last of the Baloise Ladies Tour. That is the largest cycling competition for women in Flanders.

The Nieuwsblad Cycling Series are an initiative of Special Olympics Belgium, Nieuwsblad and Mediahuis, the major competition organizers Flanders Classics and Golazo, and a few independent organizers. The competitions are also supported by Lotto. The whole setup is part of an effort towards more inclusion in sports and society.