2028 European Track Cycling Championships Move from Zolder to Apeldoorn in Swap for 2030

The 2028 European Track Cycling Championships will no longer take place at the Velodroom in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium. Instead, the event has been awarded to Apeldoorn, Netherlands, as announced by the European Cycling Union (UEC).

This change is the result of a strategic swap between the two venues. Zolder agreed to give up its hosting rights for 2028 to secure the first option for organizing the championships in 2030. This symbolic year aligns with Belgium's 200th anniversary, making it a significant occasion for the country.

Originally, both the 2025 and 2028 European Track Cycling Championships were awarded to the new Velodroom in Heusden-Zolder in 2023. However, the 2028 edition has now been shifted to the Netherlands to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Royal Dutch Cycling Union (KNWU) in two years. The UEC's decision was made in consultation with all involved parties.

Marc Wauters, Cycling Manager at Circuit Zolder, explained the arrangement: "Because we want to host the European Championships when Belgium celebrates 200 years, we have an agreement that Apeldoorn will take over the 2028 European Championships," he stated. "It has become a swap deal. Although it is not yet one hundred percent certain that we will actually be awarded the 2030 European Championships. We have been designated as the first option, with the final decision falling in March 2027."

In addition to the focus on the 2030 anniversary, Zolder's already packed event calendar also played a role. Wauters noted the logistical challenges of hosting two major championships back-to-back: "After next year, we would normally organize 2 European championships one after the other: the European BMX Championship and the European Junior Track Cycling Championship," he explained. "These were going to take place week after week. So one week organizing on the cycling track and the next week a major championship on the adjacent BMX track... That would simply become too busy."

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Na volgend jaar zouden we normaal 2 Europese kampioenschappen vlak na elkaar organiseren: het EK BMX en het EK baanwielrennen voor junioren. Die gingen week om week plaatsvinden. Dus de ene week organiseren op de wielerpiste en de week erna een groot kampioenschap op de aanpalende BMX-piste... Dat zou simpelweg te druk worden.