THE STORY OF 2023
For almost all participants, the 69th Tulpenrallye begins with a special Prologue. A nearly 15 km rally stage is set on the military training ground “De Vlasakkers” near Amersfoort by the organization. Rally stages were previously held on this same terrain from the 1960s to the early 1990s, albeit as speed rallies! This marks a return to historic grounds for the Tulpenrallye. Besides the participants of the 69th edition of the Tulpenrallye, members of KNAC, DHRC, and AMAC are also invited to participate in the Prologue, to get better acquainted with classic rally sports. The reception for this Tulpenrallye Prologue is hosted at Pon Porsche in Leusden.
The 69th Tulpenrallye commences on Sunday, May 7, 2023, in Vichy, France. This year, 157 crews are at the start line. The number of crews is lower than pre-COVID years, causing concern for the organization about the declining trend in participants. To attract new participants, guests are invited to the Prologue, and a video coverage of the Tulpenrallye will be produced and broadcasted later in the year on RTL 7. Stichting DON is the supported charity, with Gijs van Lennep serving as ambassador.
Almost all crews embark on the “Tour de Vichy” on Sunday, a route set by the organization to help participants become familiar with the route book and route controls. The weather during this tour is particularly poor, with heavy rain. In the evening, all participants are welcomed at the beautiful Palais des Congres in Parc des Sources in Vichy for the first dinner. During the dinner, Renger Guliker is honored for his 40th (and final) participation in the Tulpenrallye.
Following the successful introduction of the Rallycheck App in 2022, digitalization is expanded further in 2023 without compromising the event’s historic character. To ensure more data is available digitally and faster, several Tulpenrallye scanners are deployed, allowing participants to record their passage times using a QR code on their badge. Additionally, all Touring class participants drive with a tracker in the car, enabling the organization to monitor participant speeds at various pre-determined locations during the rally. Speed (and noise) remain key challenges when applying for and obtaining the required permits, and with these measures, the organization expects this process to become easier and faster.
In collaboration with sponsor YveY, lunches are organized differently this year. They are prepared and served daily from a large food truck, reducing the organization’s reliance on finding suitable catering venues along the route.
The rally begins on Monday morning. After a loop on the first day in and around Vichy, the route passes through Beaune, Troyes, Nancy, Luxembourg, and Valkenburg. Navigating on Monday initially seems uncomplicated, but the pace is high. The first circuit visited is Charade, which hosted the French F1 Grand Prix in the past. It is 3,900 meters long with significant elevation changes. Hank Melse/Wouter Bakker are the only crew in the rally to incur no penalty points on Monday.
Wednesday is the toughest day of the week for the Expert class. In addition to the regular rally during the day, they also tackle the evening stage. In recent years, the evening stage has often been characterized by angry farmers, residents, and police. This year, everything is different. The route is set in a very calm area, and all participants drive with a tracker in the car, allowing the organization to conduct speed checks at various locations. Many people along the road are waving. Exceptionally well-organized!
Thursday morning sees the route pass through the Champagne region. The section on the highway is the shortest, but many crews overlook this. A mistake in the route book on Friday afternoon leads to unnecessary detours and time loss. Part of the time and route is neutralized in the evening.
On Saturday morning, Albert Boekel / Remco Luksemburg seem poised for victory in the Expert class. However, they are ultimately defeated at the last moment by Harm Lamberigts / Bart den Hartog, who thus win the “Coupe Rallye des Tulipes” in the Expert class of the Tulpenrallye 2023. Den Hartog becomes the most successful participant in the Tulpenrallye from a distance, with 7 victories as navigator of the Coupe Rallye des Tulips.
In the Sport class, Gerrit Teerink / Bert Smeitink take first place. In Touring, Arnold Hoogenhout / Muriël Tigchelaar emerge victorious. The Veterans class is won by Bau Winkel / Simon Suesan Sr.
