THE STORY OF 2017
After the conclusion of the 63rd edition, the organization determined that there had been insufficient driving in France and decided that this should change in 2017. Nevertheless, they found a stunning starting location in a country/region where the Tulpenrallye had not been held for a long time. The beautiful Hotel Bachmair Weissach on Lake Tegernsee in Bavaria, Germany, was chosen as the location for a special start. Unfortunately, the hotel management decided that it was time for a rather extensive renovation of the hotel, necessitating the relocation of the Sunday start program to a large German festival tent on the shores of Lake Tegernsee. The atmosphere was lively during the participant presentation, followed by an extensive German buffet accompanied by a local oompah band. Many participants responded to the call to attend the first day in German traditional dress.
The weather did not cooperate at the start. Early Monday morning on the outskirts of Lake Tegernsee, it was raining heavily, and it would continue to rain all day. Immediately after the start, participants faced the first regularity test on Wallberg. On the way to Austria, the route included several mountain passes, with the rain turning into snow on some of them. The first overnight stop was in the James Bond city of Feldkirch, Austria, and participants dined on their own there. By Tuesday, participants reached France (Horbourg-Wihr) and drove through France on the third and fourth days to Strasbourg and Luxembourg, respectively. On Friday, the route passed through Luxembourg and Germany to Vaals, followed by the final day’s route from Vaals to Noordwijk. In Noordwijk, the Tulpenrallye Sprint was again held on the boulevard before participants reached the finish at Grand Hotel “Huis ter Duin.” It would later turn out to be the last time…
With a total length of 2674 km, this was one of the longer editions of the Tulpenrallye. The Linda Foundation was again the supported charity this year. Dutch racing legend Gijs van Lennep, who participated in the Tulpenrallye several times in the ’60s, manned the BN car (State of Art Porsche 356) with experienced navigator Peter Rovers. They presented a €30,000 check to Linda de Mol of the foundation at the finish. Detron provided a coffee stop during the morning leg each day of the rally for the first time, greatly appreciated by the participants. The Prologue was again organized at Athlon in Almere and attracted even more spectators this year.
Key participants included Roy Bolks / Peter Jan Smit, cousins Koen Bender and Thijs Bender, father and son Mark and Remco Hagenzieker, Robert Koomen / Rutger ter Borg, Cor Meulen / Ad van der Werf, Wytze van Leuveren / Rutger Kwant, father and son Giel and Arjan van der Palen, Alexander Leurs / Peter van Hoof, Rinus Sinke / Bart den Hartog, and Albert Boekel / Remco Luksemburg.
Boekel and Luksemburg built a lead on days 2 and 4 that seemed solid and decisive by Friday evening. Saturday brought some excitement when they missed 2 controls, including a straightforward one on the way to lunch at Cyclomedia in Zaltbommel. However, they managed to maintain their lead sufficiently and won the 64th edition of the Tulpenrallye by more than one control. Boekel and Luksemburg were thrilled with their victory and drove into the Pickézaal in the evening to the tune of “Simply the Best,” with their sons on the hood of the winning Alfa Romeo. The battle for 2nd place was decided on Saturday in favor of Sinke / den Hartog, ahead of father and son van der Palen, who finished third by just 14 points.
Father and daughter Onno and Sophie den Boer with a Jaguar XK150 were the proud and convincing winners of the Sporting class, while Bart Janssen and Marja Versleijen with an MG B GT won the Touring class. The experienced team of Arno Blokland and Elly Rijkenbarg with an MG TA from 1937 won the Vintage class.
