From: Alasdair Fotheringham
Country: Spain/UK
General: barring finding riders form outside the top three at the finish, no problems at all. A great race to work on.
Information available on the website/accreditation: Straightforward.
Signposting to the Accreditation centre: Fine.
Race live-ticker: As good as ever
Routebook: Excellent
Working conditions at the start: Easy to work there, no issues interviewing riders close to the signing on. Parking a little difficult but not impossible. A well set-up press room for the evening before, too.
Working conditions at the finish: It’s never straightforward at Fleche Wallonne to do interviews at the finish, the riders disappear very fast in the directions of their buses, which are parked all over the place and a long way off. But barring putting all the buses in the press carpark/field I can’t see a solution – the finish doesn’t offer any real solutions to this.
Signposting in general: very good.
Parking at the finish: well-organised.
Pressroom: generally well organised, quiet and with (just) enough space for everyone.
Results: Excellent. Clearly produced, and in a easy-to-use format.
Buses to the finish: no need for these.
Translations:very good.
Internet: A little wobbly on occasions at the finish but good.
Distance Pressroom – Finish: generally, fine.
Distance Finish – Teams buses: Miles and miles to walk, but it seems we are doomed to this at Fleche Wallonne!
Information about the race in the Pressroom: Live ticker and tv. Good.
Food or drinks at or near the Pressroom: very good.
Press conference: generally very good, and bringing in the top three finishers for the mens’ race a very good idea.
Amount of professional and non-professional journalists: Not sure, to be honest.
Conclusions: overall, a great race to work in, apart from the team parking at the finish.