“The first real cycling village in the Netherlands” sounds like a solid claim. In Eerde, municipality Meierijstad, they are trying to make it very concrete: a former landfill with new bike and MTB trails, a cycling café at the foot, overnight stays on the grounds, and routes that literally start from the door. On July 9, the Vlagheideberg will open to cyclists. In September, the ZLM Tour will finish there.
The climb – short, steep, view
Of Vlagheideberg The old landfill in Vlagheide in Eerde has been converted into a recreational hill. The figures are as follows: 400 meters long, 6.5% average, 27 height meters. The figures seem modest; the profile is irregular and almost tapers at some points. 20% unpaved, moreover.
At the top, you are rewarded with a view that you wouldn't expect to see in Brabant. On a clear day, you can see the Provincial House in Den Bosch, the church towers of Sint-Oedenrode, and the industrial areas of Veghel. Compare this to other converted landfills like Gulbergen of The Kragge, But the difference lies in what is at the base.
At the foot – sleeping and starting in the same place
At the foot lies Village Départ. The concept of founder Geertje Gloudemans, born in Vlagheide, revolves around five pillars: a cycling café, teambuilding, bike rental and clinics, meetings and overnight stays. Or in their own words: “Meet. Ride. Eat. Sleep. Repeat!”
Specifically, this means:
- The Race, the estaminée of Village Départ, for coffee with homemade apple pie, lunch, specialty beers or just watching the race on the terrace overlooking the water
- Overnight accommodation options on the grounds: houses in the greenery by the water, plus the Little house on the island in the pond
- Showers, bike rental and meeting rooms in the main building
- Social rides, clinics, and tailor-made arrangements for clubs, groups of friends or company outings
She herself says it this way: “With Village Départ, we want to offer the place where people can share their passion! For cycling, for the outdoors, for moving in the green and of course for Brabantian conviviality!”
The idea is that you can spend a weekend here as a gravel or MTB group and not have to go anywhere else. Sleep at the top of the climb, get straight on the trail in the morning, shower afterwards and join De Koers for the evening. That makes for a basecamp that lives up to its name.
Around Eerde – gravel, MTB and a final climb
Of The routes start from the Village Départ and serves multiple disciplines. For gravel bikers, it heads towards De Kampina and De Maashorst, via quiet Brabant roads and polders. MTB riders venture into the Eerdse forests and Vresselse forests, with stops at Joe Mann and Aquabest. Race cyclists can take it over quiet village roads through the centers of Meierijstad.
The Vlagheideberg appears in most routes as the final climb. The order is as follows: first your ride, then the dessert, then the coffee.
In terms of distances, Village Départ offers, among others, a 31 km family route (combination of paved roads and gravel), a 42 km gravel route through the polders, and an 86 km gravel race towards De Maashorst. Plenty of variety for a long weekend.
We will definitely test these routes!
3.6 million for a hill
The municipality Meierijstad invests 3.6 million euros in the renovated Vlagheide, which will be 42 hectares covers. Phase 1, the construction of which began in December 2025, includes:
- A 3 km paved cycle path, 4 meters wide and suitable for cycling competitions
- A MTB route of approximately 8 km that swirls around the sides of the mountain
- Additional walking trails of about 5 km
- A parking space for 30 cars
The MTB route winds around the mountain instead of going up and down once, which adds up to significantly more elevation gain than the current situation. Phase 2, with further recreational and nature development around the mountain, will follow later.
ZLM Tour as a mark
Shortly after the opening, the Vlagheideberg gets its first race. On Saturday 5 September 2026 Start and finish Fourth stage of the ZLM Tour in Schijndel. The longest race of this edition travels through all thirteen districts of Meierijstad, with the Vlagheideberg as the finish climb. WorldTour teams such as Team Visma | Lease a Bike, Lidl-Trek and Team Picnic PostNL are at the start.
John van den Akker says about the course: “Schijndel–Schijndel, with the climb up the Vlagheide, could just as well bring surprises. Looking forward to September.”
The ZLM Tour is moving this year to September for the first time, in anticipation of the European and World Championships in cycling. That makes Vlagheideberg a part of a serious racing weekend.
When can you visit it?
The Vlagheideberg opens 9 July 2026 For cyclists, hikers and mountain bikers. Village Départ is already operational with De Koers, overnight stays and routes. Those who return at the end of the summer can see the pros finish on the same climb on September 5th.
Do you know any other places in the Netherlands where climbing, coffee and overnight stays are so closely intertwined? We would love to hear from you!
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Do you know any other places in the Netherlands where climbing, coffee and overnight stays are so closely intertwined? We would love to hear from you!