Tour of 1933
The route via Sneek as the first city for the first time
The board implemented two major changes for this edition. For the first time, the route was reversed, with Sneek as the first city. Additionally, the starting location in the centre of Leeuwarden was no longer feasible due to thin ice caused by the increasing use of electricity in the city. The start was moved to Boxumerdam, about four kilometres outside Leeuwarden.
De wedstrijd
Chairman Mr. Hepkema wished the riders success just before the start with the words: "Fight bravely and fairly." On Saturday, December 16, all of Friesland was elated. Never before had the Elfstedentocht been held so early in the winter season. The weather was nearly perfect—virtually windless with temperatures around freezing. After Sloten, the leading racers began to emerge, although various routes were chosen between Sloten and Stavoren.
In Harlingen, the organisation had not anticipated the speed of the riders, and the checkpoint was unmanned. Thanks to the initiative of a few local residents, the issue was resolved. Around Harlingen, the ice was in poor condition, and some streets had to be traversed on foot. The finish also caught the organisers off guard. Previously, a single frontrunner always clearly led upon arriving in Leeuwarden, but this time, the "royal pair" Abe de Vries and Sipke Castelein were leading together from Dokkum. Two hundred metres before De Groene Weide, a police officer drew a line across the ice with a skate. De Vries unknowingly crossed it first, despite their agreement to finish together. This incident caused a stir that lingered for years.
After crossing the finish line, De Vries hurried home on his bicycle to his farm near Dronrijp. The cows still needed to be milked. When he arrived, his wife asked if he had completed the race. His simple reply: "Yes, and I won the race." The milking had to be done quickly that afternoon because at 6 p.m., a taxi arrived to take them to the awards ceremony.
