From: Raymond Kerckhoffs (De Telegraaf, Netherlands)
Conclusion: First time during the Worlds an official media-hotel with shuttle-service to the pressroom. Good working conditions. Good collaboration AIJC with UCI-pressdepartment and the local organizers.
1) Information on website: You could find a lot of information on the website of the local organistion.
2) Accreditation: accreditation system by UCI and Wings works perfectly. Didn’t hear any complains.
3) Indication to Accreditation Centre: no problems. The accreditation was not far from the local circuit at The Pearl. Also the shuttle-bus from the media-hotel to the pressroom stopped at the accreditation-center.
4) Live-ticker of the race: You could find on a lot of websites every information.
5) Working conditions at the starts: no special problems. Start of the elites was not at the local circuit so there was not much press.
6) Working conditions at the finish: No problems. Every rider had to pass through the mixed-zone. People from the organization where forcing the riders to follow this route. While there was not much public and the road was empty it was a little bit strange that the media had to wait at the mixed-zone to speak with the riders. But it’s logical that UCI wants to follow the concept they have for every Worlds. For the futher it has to be sure that the media also can visit the boxes of the national teams. In the past there were special passes for the media to visit this area.
7) Pressroom: Perfect. Good location.
8) Distance pressroom – finish: Perfect.
9) Internet, information about the race in the press room and results: no complaints at all.
10) Food or drinks at or near the pressroom: very good. You could buy simple but good meals near the pressroom. Much better food than in the olympic venues in Rio 2016. And in the pressroom there was free coffee, water, softdrinks and snacks.
11) Press conferences: Good! Straight to the point.
12) Amount of professional and non-professional journalists: Good controle. No complains and good collaboration between UCI and AIJC on this point.
The collaboration between UCI, local organization and AIJC for a mediahotel during the Worlds in Qatar worked perfect. The Edzan was a 4 stars hotel at 8 km from the finish. With the shuttle-service (two times in an hour) it was easy to go to the pressroom and accreditation centre. The price (about 90 euro’s with breakfast) was good. The UCI and AIJC spoke in Doha already about also trying to find mediahotels for the next WorldChampionchips.