Fietselfstedentocht: the route, the stamps and how to prepare
- Distance
- 233 km
- Climbing
- 110 m
- Highest point
- 12 m
- Categorised climbs
- None
- Shape
- Loop
Measured on the course you ride in Cycloscape. The organiser's own figures are below.
Elevation profile
-3–12 m · 0 categorised climbsThe Fietselfstedentocht is a 235 km ride through the eleven historic cities of Friesland, starting and finishing in Bolsward, held every year on Whit Monday. Riders collect a stamp at each control post and must be back in Bolsward with every stamp by midnight. The organiser has not yet announced the 2027 date.
Fietselfstedentocht at a glance
- Where
- Bolsward, Netherlands
- Official website
- fietselfstedentocht.frl ↗
- Next edition
- Date to be confirmed by the organiser
- Route
- Fietselfstedentocht: 235 km
- Terrain
- Rolling to flat
- Facts checked
- 4 November 2026, against the sources below
Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Ride the real course on your trainer. The route of Fietselfstedentocht, 233 km, as a 3D world, with your trainer following its gradients — any day, and as part of your Event Coach plan. Part of Cycloscape Pro.
The routes
The Fietselfstedentocht is one route.
| Route | Distance | Climbing |
|---|---|---|
| Fietselfstedentocht | 235 km | — |
What the course asks of you
Friesland is flat, open and close to the sea, so the wind is the climb. Starts run from 05:00 to 08:00 in the centre of Bolsward, in groups of about 650 riders every eight minutes, and the route links the eleven cities over polder roads, dykes and narrow village streets.
On a day this long and this flat you never stop pedalling: the riders who finish well are the ones who shared the work in a group, ate regularly from the start and kept something for the headwind sections.
How to prepare
The general shape of a good preparation, which Event Coach turns into a plan for your fitness, time and date:
- Train sustained endurance and tempo: long efforts at a steady, comfortably hard pace are what a flat day like the Fietselfstedentocht asks.
- Build the long ride towards 235 km: on the flat there is no climb to rest on the way down, you pedal all the time.
- Ride in a group in training and learn to share the work: on flat roads, the wind and the wheel in front decide the day.
Pacing mistakes to avoid
The mistakes that cost riders the most on a day like this:
- Riding the first hour of the Fietselfstedentocht too hard because the speed feels free in a big group.
- Spending time on the front alone into the wind, when a wheel would carry you for a fraction of the effort.
- Eating too little: on a flat day you never stop pedalling, and the energy runs out without warning.
Prepare the Fietselfstedentocht with Cycloscape
Tell Event Coach you are doing the Fietselfstedentocht, your route and what you want from the day, and it builds your preparation: structured workouts held by your trainer in ERG, Race Pacing for how to spend your effort, and Performance Lab to see whether the work is landing. Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Frequently asked
When is the Fietselfstedentocht?
The organiser has not announced the next edition's date yet. Event Coach lets you set your own target date until it does.
How long is the Fietselfstedentocht?
Fietselfstedentocht: 235 km. The route as the organiser describes it: 235 km, start and finish in Bolsward.
How many riders take part?
About 15,000 riders, according to the organiser.
What happens if I miss a stamp?
To finish officially you need all the stamps from the control posts and must reach the last control in Bolsward by midnight.
Can I ride the course of the Fietselfstedentocht in Cycloscape?
Yes, inside Event Coach with Cycloscape Pro: once you start your preparation, the course is ridden on your trainer as part of the plan.