Historic canal-side buildings and moored boats on the water in Haarlem.

20 September to 1 October 2026

Pino the Netherlands

An inclusive cycling expedition, Waltrop to Groningen.
Six international teams, 700 kilometres, 11 riding days across Germany and the Netherlands finishing at CycleSummit 2026 in Groningen.

Support the ride Media enquiries

700

kilometres

riding days

Hase Pino teams

blind cyclists

shared purpose

Three Pino tandems with pilots and riders in orange jerseys, lined up ready to ride.

About the ride

Six international teams will ride Hase Pino e-tandems from Germany through the Netherlands, to Groningen. Four of the riders are blind.

The ride begins at Hase Bikes' headquarters in Waltrop, with the team rolling out on Sunday 20 September and finishing in Groningen 11 days later, on Thursday 1 October.

Why the Netherlands

The Netherlands is one of the world's most cycle-friendly countries. Its dedicated cycleways, ferry links and flat coastal terrain suit teams of mixed experience. The ride finishes within a day of CycleSummit 2026 in Groningen.

A Hase Pino semi-recumbent tandem, front seat reclined low and the pilot seat upright behind.

The Hase Pino, explained

The Hase Pino is a semi-recumbent tandem e-bike. Unlike a conventional tandem, the front seat is a low, reclined position and the pilot sits upright at the back. Both cyclists pedal, and both are part of the ride.

Why the front seat matters

For a blind cyclist, sitting at the front changes the experience. The rider feels the bike, the road surface and the wind on their face. It replaces the passenger experience of a rear-seat tandem with an incredibly immersive share of the ride.

What the pilot does

The pilot steers from the rear, controls the brakes, gears and electric assist, and navigates the route. Pilots train before each expedition.

Expedition Ride Itinerary

Eleven riding days from Waltrop to Groningen,
with a rest day in Amsterdam.

Day	Date	Stage	Distance
1	Sun 20 Sep	Waltrop to Xanten	80 km
2	Mon 21 Sep	Xanten to Arnhem	66 km
3	Tue 22 Sep	Arnhem to Utrecht	74 km
4	Wed 23 Sep	Utrecht to Leiden via Gouda	73 km
5	Thu 24 Sep	Leiden to Haarlem	44 km
6	Fri 25 Sep	Haarlem to Amsterdam	30 km
7	Sat 26 Sep	Rest day in Amsterdam	-
8	Sun 27 Sep	Amsterdam to den Helder	90 km
9	Mon 28 Sep	Texel Island to Huisduinen	50 km
10	Tue 29 Sep	Huisduinen to Harlingen	50 km plus bus
11	Wed 30 Sep	Harlingen to Dokkum	60 km
12	Thu 1 Oct	Dokkum to Groningen	61 km

Sponsors and support

Meet the Pino the Netherlands teams

Six teams, different roles, one journey.
Four of the riders at the front are vision-impaired.

Team 1

Gary Hackett

Team Leader

Rowan Gunn

Support Crew

Team 2

Will O'Neil

Rider

Alan Corven

Ride Leader

Team 4

Dave Brown

Rider

Andy Winstanley

Pilot

Team 5

Hamish Mackenzie

Rider

Lisa Hughes

Pilot

Team 6

Joost Schuit

Pilot

What the ride sets out to do

Demonstrate inclusive cycling in action

Show that blind riders can participate fully in a major international cycling tour alongside their pilots.

Promote inclusive cycling tourism

Showcase the Netherlands as an accessible cycling destination, and encourage destinations, tour operators and industry partners to embrace inclusive tourism.

Grow the Riding Together movement

Inspire people to contact us and establish a chapter in their own community, city or region. This is the tour's key call to action.

Delivering a message of inclusivity, to the global tourist operator industry

CycleSummit 2026 gathers around 200 cycling tourism leaders in Groningen. Pino the Netherlands finishes at the same event.

Molly Burke, one of the ride's four blind riders, delivers the CycleSummit 2026 keynote. She speaks days after finishing the ride herself. An audience of more than five million people follows Molly's advocacy work. At CycleSummit, she puts inclusive cycling tourism in front of the people who can make it happen.

Pino the Netherlands arrives in Groningen as a working example of inclusive cycling, not simply an idea for the future.

One ride.
One stage.
One message.

CycleSummit 2026, Groningen.
Around 200 cycling tourism leaders, one keynote, and six Pino teams arriving straight off an 11 day expedition.
Our message is simple. Cycling should be inclusive.

Media contacts and interview availability

Will O'Neil

Community Outreach Manager

will@ridingtogether.org
0412 039 445

For interviews, ride-along and story enquiries.

Gary Hackett

Director

gary@ridingtogether.org
0419 800 557

For questions about the ride, the charity and the mission.