From: Joeri De Knop (Het Laatste Nieuws). Country: Belgium
General conclusion: the Tour of Switzerland stays one of the best organized cycling races in the UCI WorldTour, but nevertheless there are some important points to improve the working conditions for the media. Information on website
All information required available on www.tds.ch, in three different languages. Very practical website, couldn’t be better.
Accreditation
Easy done, online on the website and with corfimation mail by the main press officer. Accreditation was ready at time of arrival, but again — for the second year in a row — not enough technical guides (with race track, time schedule, hotels of the teams, etc.) available for the journalists. Some of us got one, others not. We got appologies anyway but were supposed to print them ourself through a link in the e-mail received some days before the start of the Tour de Suisse.
Indication to Accreditation Centre
Well indicated. Not much space on the press parking in Bellinzona. Some journalists had to search a place for their car in the surrounding streets.
Working conditions at the starts
Sometimes a little bit confusing to find the right spot. Especially at the start of stage 6 in Büren-an-der-Aare, where it took some time to discover the team parking. At the start of one of the other stages, it took us a fifteen (15!) minute-walk through the grasslands and meadows to reach the buses.
Working conditions at the finishes
The problem at the start of stage 6 in Büren was also the problem of the finish of stage 5 there. Sometimes (too) large distances between press room and finish and difficulties to reach the buses. Sarnen, at the end of stage 2, was a disaster in that point of view. Some journalists were blocked at the wrong side of the road and couldn’t reach the after-finish zone anymore.
Pressrooms
No complaints. Nice and large places to work.
Distance Pressrooms – Finishes
See working conditions at the finish.
Distance Finishes – Team Buses
See working conditions at the finish.
Internet
Free and very quick. Excellent.
Information about the race in Pressrooms
Live TV-coverage, live ticker on the website.
Results
Available as soon as possible. Very complete.
Food or drinks at or near Pressrooms
Catering was, as every year, more than okay. The Tour of Suisse is a big example in that way.
Press Conferences
Moderated in an excellent way by Tony Noetzli. Tony Martin, leader from the first to the penultimate stage, showed up really every day! As well as all the stage winners. Except one: last stage winner, GC-winner and world champion Rui Costa, for the second year in a row now. A lack of respect towards his colleagues in the peloton, all the journalists and the organizers, who couldn’t help it.
Amount of professional and non-professional journalists
Between 20 and 30 journalists.
No other remarks.