Holten celebrates a milestone weekend as the Europe Triathlon Cup and Junior Cup returns to the Dutch town as part of the 40th edition of the race weekend. Since first hosting racing in 1986, the Local Organising Committee has built one of Europe's most established competitions, with athletes once again set to race through the streets of Holten as part of a weekend of celebration.
Across the Elite and Junior races, more than 160 athletes from around the world will line up looking to add their names to the event's rich history.
Elite Women
A new champion will be crowned in the Elite Women's race after three-time defending champion Jolien Vermeylen does not return to Holten this year. Her absence leaves the door open for one of 42 athletes to claim victory.
Dutch hopes rest with Robin Dreijling, who wears the number one bib as she makes her first Europe Triathlon Cup appearance of the season. Dreijling has primarily competed at World Triathlon level this year, most recently racing in Quiberon, France, and will be looking to impress in front of a home crowd.
Germany's Selina Klamt starts with bib number two after spending much of the season competing on the World Triathlon Cup circuit. A ninth-place finish in Tiszaújváros last weekend marked her strongest result of the year and provides valuable momentum heading into Holten.
Spain's María Guerrero returns to competition for the first time since the Europe Triathlon Championships, where she finished just outside the top 30. Earlier in the season she demonstrated her sprint-distance ability with sixth place in Monte Gordo and seventh in Haikou.
Fellow Spaniard Alejandra Seguí Soria has also enjoyed a consistent campaign, narrowly missing the podium in Olsztyn before securing bronze in Rzeszów the following weekend.
Germany's Lilly-Marie Overberg arrives in confident mood after recording a season-best fifth place in Wels last weekend. Although Holten will be only her fourth race of the year, her performances have steadily improved throughout the season.
Belgium's Nele Dequae also comes into the race in good form following consecutive top-10 finishes in Austria. Having shown consistency throughout recent Europe Triathlon Cup events, she will be aiming to secure her first continental podium.
Another Dutch athlete to watch is Merel Veltman. Fresh from claiming silver at the Dutch National Championships, adding to the silver medal she earned at the National Sprint Championships earlier this season, Veltman returns to international racing full of confidence as she looks to challenge for a place near the front on home soil.
Elite Men
The Elite Men's race is equally open, with none of last year's medallists returning to Holten.
Australia's Toby Powers heads to the Netherlands after narrowly missing the podium in Wels, finishing fourth last weekend. He will be hoping to continue that form and make the most of his European campaign.
Kazakhstan's Daryn Konysbayev also raced last weekend in Tiszaújváros, but endured a difficult race. Earlier this season, however, he claimed silver at the Asia Triathlon Cup in Subic Bay and will be hoping to return to that level of performance in Holten.
Home favourite Gjalt Panjer will carry Dutch expectations after being crowned the Netherlands' Sprint Distance National Champion. Encouraging performances in Tarragona and Quiberon suggest the Dutchman is building form at the right time, while his runner-up finish to Lasse Nygaard Priester in Holten last year provides further confidence heading into this weekend.
Although last year's podium is absent, several athletes have already stood on Europe Triathlon Cup podiums this season. Carter Stuhlmacher of the United States and Great Britain's Fynn Batkin both claimed medals in Kitzbühel and arrive as genuine contenders for victory.
Batkin is joined by fellow Britons Hamish Reilly, Deri McCluskey and Charlie Harding. Reilly has raced only twice this season, competing in Monte Gordo and Kitzbühel across both sprint and super sprint formats, and remains one of the more intriguing athletes in the field.
The Netherlands boasts a strong home contingent of 13 athletes. Niels van Lanen will be eager to bounce back after a DNF in Tiszaújváros, while newly crowned Dutch National Champion Jesse Cuijpers will look to transfer his domestic success onto the continental stage. Lars van Zessen, the youngest Dutch athlete in the field, returns to Holten after racing in last year's Junior Cup.
Belgium also arrives with a strong squad led by Raf De Dobbelaere. Youngster Cis Huyghe has recorded encouraging 10th and 11th-place finishes in Kitzbühel and Wels respectively after returning from an early-season setback and will hope to continue that progress.
The international field extends well beyond Europe. Canada's Chris Gregor and Chile's Andrés Gras make the trip to the Netherlands, while Australia's Christopher Deegan joins compatriot Toby Powers after both competed in Europe last weekend.
New Zealand fields three athletes, led by Robbie White following his appearance in Wels. Caleb Wagener continues his search for a first international podium after racing in Kitzbühel, while Finnley Oliver completes the Kiwi team.
Panama's Niklas Ararz Villà Páramo returns to Europe after competing in Olsztyn earlier this season, while Switzerland's Thibault Rivier arrives with impressive credentials after winning Junior Cup gold in Olsztyn before stepping up to elite competition in Wels, where he secured a top-20 finish.
Junior Women
Latvia's Beate Jansone headlines the Junior Women's race after winning Baltic Championship gold earlier this season. Starting with bib number two, she arrives full of confidence and will look to carry that momentum into Holten.
The opening starters reflect the international strength of the field. New Zealand's Sophie Webber leads the athletes away, followed by Jansone, Namibia's Maja Jeanne Brinkmann, Australians Addison Houslip and Gwen Watson, and fellow New Zealander Hayley Cornwall.
Austria's Kathrin Ritter returns to Holten after finishing eighth last year. Racing for the third consecutive weekend, Ritter follows an 18th-place finish in Kitzbühel with an encouraging sixth place in Wels and appears to be finding strong form.
Belgium's Luca Vanderbruggen returns to racing for the first time since Monte Gordo in April, while Israel's Shai Meital has already enjoyed a busy campaign. Following a mixed relay medal in Caorle, she will now aim to add an individual podium to her season.
Dutch support will centre on Loesha Loos after her recent appearance in Wels. She is joined by fellow home athletes Anna van Arkel and Julia Buschgens, with Buschgens making her Europe Triathlon Junior Cup debut.
Junior Men
Forty athletes are entered for the Junior Men's race, with Australia's Oliver Moxon and Angus Argent-Smith leading the field away.
Czech athlete Matěj Procházka arrives after finishing seventh in Wels last weekend. Racing internationally for only the second time this season, he will hope another strong performance can move him into podium contention.
Belgium's Rube Claus returns to European racing for the first time since narrowly missing the podium in Quarteira three months ago. After an extended break from competition, he will be eager to make an immediate impact.
The host nation fields nine junior men, with Lars Beijk leading the Dutch challenge as the highest-ranked home athlete.
American Tavish Quinn continues his European campaign after making his continental debut in Tiszaújváros last weekend, while Belgium brings a team of 10 athletes, reflecting the close proximity between the two nations.
Runar De Meulenaere heads the Belgian squad, while Seppe Vanoverbeke arrives after winning the Dutch Sprint Triathlon Junior National Championship at the end of May. He now steps onto the Europe Triathlon Junior Cup stage for the first time and will be hoping to continue his impressive form.
With four decades of history behind it, Holten once again promises an exciting weekend of racing. A strong Dutch contingent, emerging junior talent and an international elite field ensure the 40th anniversary edition is set to provide another memorable chapter in one of Europe's most iconic triathlon events.
Full entry lists for Elite races can be found here
Full entry lists for Junior races can be found here.
Live streaming of all races will be avallible here.