Eneco Tour of Benelux

The Eneco Tour of Benelux is a UCI ProTour bicycle stage race. Its name refers to its main sponsor, the energy company Eneco Energie. The first Eneco Tour of Benelux took place from August 3 to August 10 2005

 History 
The Tour of the Netherlands began on 6 May 1948, but only became an annual event in 1975. From about 2000 it was known as the Eneco tour. The start of the UCI's ProTour in 2005 saw the tour reorganised.

 Organization 
The then UCI president Hein Verbruggen wanted to keep the Tour of the Netherlands for "marketing reasons". (Part of the UCI's job is to make cycling more popular).    The Dutch Tour organisation got a better sponsor (ENECO Energie). But because the race was not difficult enough for the new ProTourthe race organisers asked the organisers of the Tour of Belgium and the Tour de Luxembourg. The idea was a Tour of the Benelux that would replace the three.  The Tours of Belgium and Luxembourg will carry on. The organisers of the Tour of Luxembourg did not want to join the new big race, so the Eneco tour only covers Belgium and the Netherlands.

 Winners 
 General classification 
The overall winner of the race by time wears a red jersey (Dutch: Rode trui or French: Maillot rouge).
 Year  Name  Country2007 Iván Gutiérrez  2006  Stefan Schumacher  2005  Bobby Julich  

 Points classification 
In 2005, the overall winner of the race by points (Dutch: Puntenklassement) wears a blue jersey (Dutch: Blauwe trui or French: Maillot bleu). This was changed to a white jersey however in 2006.

 Year Cyclist  Country2007  Mark Cavendish    2006  Simone Cadamuro   2005   Allan Davis  

 Mountains classification 
No jersey is awarded for leading this classification.
 Year  Name  Country2007no jersey awarded 2006no jersey awarded 2005Christian Vandevelde 

 Young rider classification 
Before 2007, the best young (under 25) rider of the race got to wear a yellow jersey. (Dutch: Gele trui or French: Maillot jaune).

 Year  Name  Country 2007 no jersey awarded 2006Stefan Schumacher 2005Thomas Dekker 

 Team classification 
 Year  Name  Country 20072006 Liquigas 2005Liberty Seguros-Würth Team 

 Most Stage Wins 

  Cyclist  # Stages  YearStageinStageinStagein1Tom Boonen 32006  1 (Hoogeveen )3 (Westmalle )  5 (Balen )2Max van Heeswijk 22005  1 (Mierlo )  5 (Hasselt ) 3Alessandro Ballan 12005  4 (Verviers )   3Simone Cadamuro 12005 2 (Sittard )   3Mark Cavendish 12007 2 (Knokke-Heist )   3Allan Davis 12005 3 (Landgraaf )   3Michiel Elijzen 12007 Prologue (Hasselt )   3Philippe Gilbert 12006 7 (Ans )   3George Hincapie 12006 4 (Landgraaf ) (ITT)   3Bobby Julich 120057 (Etten-Leur ) (ITT)   3David Kopp 12006 (Sint-Truiden )   3Pablo Lastras 12007 6 (Landgraaf )   3Robbie McEwen 12007 3 (Putte )3Nick Nuyens 12007  1 (Eupen )   3Luciano Pagliarini 120075 (Nieuwegein )3Manuel Quinziato 120062 (Sittard-Geleen )   3Sébastien Rosseler 120077 (Geleen ) (ITT)   3Stefan Schumacher 12006 Prologue (Den Helder )3Stefan van Dijk 12005 6 (Hoogstraten )   3Rik Verbrugghe 12005 Prologue (Mechelen )   3Wouter Weylandt 12007 4 (Terneuzen )   

 References 
  Graat, John (August 3 2005). 'Fantastische' Pro Tour zegen voor profronde. Trouw (Dutch newspaper), p. 13.

 Other websites 
 Official homepage 

Category:UCI ProTour
Category:Cycle races
Category:Sport in the Netherlands
Category:Sport in Belgium
Category:1948 establishments in Europe
Category:20th-century establishments in the Netherlands