THE STORY OF 2018
It’s becoming increasingly challenging to organize the final day of the Tulpenrallye in the Netherlands in a way that’s both challenging for participants and minimally disruptive to the regions where the rally takes place. Over the past few years, the organization has tried various approaches to address this, but ultimately, the last day tends to be the least thrilling in most editions. After much discussion, the organization reluctantly decides to leave Noordwijk. The Municipality of Noordwijk and the management of Grand Hotel “Huis ter Duin” are informed well in advance. While the openness is appreciated, all parties realize that an important tradition in Dutch motorsport is being lost. At almost the same time, “Huis ter Duin” is informed that the Dutch national football team will no longer use the hotel for their training camps.
The organization takes careful consideration in selecting a worthy alternative as the finishing hotel. After studying various options, they settle on Hotel Chateau St. Gerlach in Valkenburg. This beautiful hotel, part of the Oostwegel Group and not far from the tri-border area, offers several possibilities for designing a challenging rally route right up to the finish. Additionally, the hotel provides a stunning setting and infrastructure for the finish program and offers various options for celebrating the awards ceremony in style. The management of both Chateau St. Gerlach and Grand Hotel “Huis ter Duin” are familiar with each other and will join together at the festive awards ceremony.
The year 2018 marks an anniversary: the 65th edition of the rally. After introducing a foreign start for the 50th Tulpenrallye (which was then maintained) and reversing the rally direction for the 60th edition from Noordwijk to the finish at the Cote d’Azur, the organization struggles this year to devise something unique in the route setup. However, their main goal is to simply make it a very good Tulpenrallye, and they succeed.
The Cote d’Azur provides a stunning backdrop for the start of this 65th edition. The Pullman Hotel in Mandelieu-Lanapoule, near Cannes, welcomes participants, and thanks to the beautiful weather, the atmosphere is particularly delightful. On the Sunday before the start, a special route is planned to the top of the Col de Turini (where the 60th edition was decided five years earlier). In the afternoon, all participants can board the magnificent yachts of Waijer Yachts, and in the evening, the first dinner takes place around the hotel pool under exceptionally beautiful weather conditions. Participants and officials who have participated in the Tulpenrallye for 20 years are honored during the dinner with a silver Tulpenrallye pin.
On Monday, the route largely follows the South French coast to the finish of the first day in Avignon. From there, the route heads straight north, with stops in Valence at the end of day 2 and Lyon at the end of day 3. Of course, the Vosges Mountains are highlighted in the anniversary edition and are extensively covered on days 4 and 5; this time, the rally doesn’t stop in Riquewihr and Horbourg-Wihr but in Belfort. Day 5 proceeds to Luxembourg, and on day 6, all participants experience the benefits of the new finishing location. There are plenty of navigation challenges right up to the finish. The finish program at the new location runs smoothly. Although many participants and organizers fondly remember Noordwijk, the 65th Tulpenrallye concludes with a fitting finale at Chateau St. Gerlach in Valkenburg.
This year, the Tulpenrallye supports the Bontius Foundation for research into vocal cord cancer, initiated by Partner Profin Assurantiën. The director of the BN car, Gijs van Lennep, is partly responsible for the €25,000 check presented at the finish. The Prologue is held for the rally at Athlon in Almere. To mark the 65th anniversary, the Tulpenrallye History portal is launched, featuring detailed accounts of all editions of the Tulpenrallye and a wealth of unique photo and video material. Winners of the Tulpenrallye over the years are invited to join the final day of this 65th edition from Luxembourg to Valkenburg, and many of them accept the invitation.
Among the key participants are Rutger Reinders / Wouter Bakker, Leo van Beukering / Hans-Olav de Wolf (winners of the Sporting class in 2017), Alexander Leurs / Peter van Hoof, Wytze van Leuveren / Rutger Kwant (their Porsche caught fire during the Sunday ride to the Col de Turini, but they were able to borrow a replacement Porsche from George Banken), Giel and Arjan van der Palen, Cor Meulen / Ad van der Werf, Harry Dekker / Maarten Verweij, Mark and Remco Hagenzieker, Robert Koomen / Rutger ter Borg, and Harm Lamberigts / Bart den Hartog.
Lamberigts / den Hartog dominate this year. They notably make a difference on day 3 and are flawless on the final day! They win this anniversary edition by a margin of more than 5 checks, something that hasn’t happened in many years. The arrival of the winning car in the dining room of Chateau St. Gerlach is notably less grand than at “Huis ter Duin,” indicating an area for improvement by the organization for future editions. Koomen / ter Borg finish second, followed by father and son Mark and Remco Hagenzieker.
The competition in the Sporting class is so close that it’s not clear at the finish who the winner is. Everyone waits for details from the calculation room, and later it’s revealed that brother and sister Boele and Hiske Braaksma have won this class this year. The experienced German team of George Bögershausen / Hans-Werner Müller (who frequently participated in the ’90s) win the Touring class, and Hank and Nicole Melse are the deserved winners of the Vintage class.
