Gent – Wevelgem 2013

Gent - Wevelgem 2013
Gent - Wevelgem 2013

From: Guy Van Den Langenbergh
Country: Belgium (Gazet van Antwerpen)
Conclusion: solid organization, only not stable internet in the pressroom on Sunday was a minus.

  1. Information on website: more than enough. Schedule trips, tickets, news, participants in both the run-up to and during the race. Gent – Wevelgem is member of Flanders Classics. Websites built according to similar pattern.
  2. Accreditation: by presschief Marc Van Landeghem. For most cycling reporters he is a known person and he does the accreditation via a known pattern.
  3. Designation accreditation center: most of us see Marc Van Landeghem several times already so parkingtickets in advance distributed. The information on the parking tickets was ok. Pressroom was not well marked. Most know after many years where they should be.
  4. Working at the start: The pressparking was not far away from the start. There was enough place for the busses of the teams. A lot of VIP’s who where allowed to walk between the busses made it difficult to speak with the riders. On the stage are riders also tend to speak. Obviously it was an exceptional situation given the new start at Gistel because the exceptional weatherconditions.
  5. Working on the finish: public allowed in ‘buszone’. This sometimes complicates the work but most teams provide their own fences.
  6. Pressroom: heating was finally after many years working in the sports hall. There was enough space.
  7. Distance press room – finish: Close.
  8. Distance pressroom – Team parking: feasible, though some buses are really far.
  9. Press Conference: winner is some time available.
  10. Internet: Despite three ‘networks’ still quite unstable.
  11. Information on race press room: big screen, all information available.
  12. Results: reasonably fast
  13. Eating and Drinking in press room: enough sandwiches, fruit and drinks.
  14. Number of journalists: Spacious Belgian and Dutch delegations for written press. Anglo-Saxon internet websites also abundantly present.
  15. Extras: nothing to add