From: Raymond Kerckhoffs
(De Telegraaf)
Country: The Netherlands
Conclusion: Perfect working conditions at the new finish, with the pressroom installed right next to the finish.
- Information available on the website: Amstel Gold Race’s website is a very modern one providing all the necessary information.
- Accreditation: The accreditation system works without any problem. Information about the accreditation request status is available within a short timeframe.
- Signposting to the Accreditation Centre: You can park right next to the permanence at Maastricht City Hall. The permanence is easy to find: you have just to follow the arrows. PPO easy to find too.
- Race live-ticker: On Twitter but you can also follow the live-tickers on Het Nieuwsblad websites and other ones too.
- Working conditions at the start: Team buses are right next to the Markt. The team presentation is just perfect. You have the possibility to wait near the podium and speak with all the riders. The zone just near the podium was reserved for television only. Why is this zone not free for other journalists? It is easy to extend the working space.
- Working conditions at the finish: No problems. The giant screen makes it easy to follow the race. After the race it is easy to walk to the buses.
- Pressroom: It is all right. Very big tent with enough places. The television screens to follow the race could be a little bit bigger.
- Distance Pressroom – Finish: Perfect. There are not many races where the pressroom is so close to the finish.
- Distance Finish – Teams buses: No problem.
- Internet: There were a lot of problems with the Internet connection. The organization knows the problem and already said that they will provide a better connection next year.
- Information about the race in the Pressroom: You could follow the live ticker on the website and also the race on television on a big screen.
- Results: We get the results very late. There were mistakes in the first results we received.
- Food or drinks at or near the Pressroom: Enough drinks and sandwiches.
- Press conference: Professional press conference with the participation of the complete podium. Good translations. Time enough to ask your questions.
- Amount of professional and non-professional journalists: Bennie Ceulen is the press officer. This year, contacts were established between Van Landeghem (Flanders Classics and other races), Aso-media, Bennie Ceulen and the AIJC to draw attention to the fact that professional journalists only will get an accreditation, what really improved the working conditions.
- Other points: The photographers on the motorbikes complained about the fact that only two moto pools were allowed in the last lap, only until 20km from the finish. In the Tour of Flanders the other motorbikes were allowed to stay in the race until 10 km from the finish. This would also be possible at the Amstel to allow the photographers to make pictures at the Geulhemmerberg.