UTRECHT – A Spanish delegation has inspected the start and finish of the Vuelta in Utrecht. The course was reconnoitred and everything in the area around the Jaarbeurs was carefully measured and examined.
In the so-called ‘Village Départ’ there must soon be room not only for the cycling teams, but also, for example, for the international press, TV teams, the jury car, the podium and the guests. The Spaniards also wanted to see if the riders can return to their team bus in a decent way after the finish to start.
Apart from a few details, no major changes need to be made, says alderman Klaas Verschuure. “But it is good to see each other once in a while anyway, because you are going to organize a very large event together and then you want to know from both sides that it is good.”
The Vuelta starts on Friday 19 August with a team time trial. The riders will start at the Jaarbeurs and will visit almost all areas of the start. The second stage starts in Den Bosch, finishes in Utrecht and also goes for a large part through our province.
Alderman already drove the stages himself
Verschuure himself has already got on his bike for an exploration. “Last week I rode the second stage from Den Bosch. It goes through Brabant, then a bit through Gelderland and then via the Grebbeberg into the province of Utrecht. It is a really nice ride and the first points are also ahead on the Amerongse Berg. to earn the mountain jersey. For us Dutch it is quite a steep, for Spaniards not of course, but it is fun. I expect a lot of people along the way.”
The course has been plotted some time ago and agreements have been made with the participating municipalities about, for example, holes in the asphalt or dangerous traffic islands. Verschuure explored the more than 23 kilometer long team time trial in Utrecht in December. “Apart from two locations, this is actually already finished, so we don’t have to do much about that anymore. There are very fast and technical pieces. So that will certainly be a spectacle.”
Changes second stage
The Vuelta would actually have been driven two years ago, but could not continue due to corona. The route of the second stage is slightly different compared to 2020. For example, the peloton will pass over the air base in Soesterberg and two more minor changes have been made, says project leader Ron Looy. “In consultation with the municipalities, we now go straight ahead at Rhenen instead of making a loop and in Amersfoort we turn left one street earlier. In 2020 the situation there was slightly different, but now it was just not quite convenient anymore to to follow exactly the same course.”
Looy gained experience in 2010 with the Giro d’Italia and in 2015 with the Tour de France. He knows the tricks of the trade a bit by now. “But of course there is also a huge amount of experience at the Vuelta, so you look for cooperation. Fortunately, the contact goes very well, just like with the Giro and Tour by the way.”
Recruit sponsors and volunteers
In the coming months, the Utrecht organization of the Vuelta will have to recruit volunteers and dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Alderman Verschuure hopes to bring in sponsors in the near future. “With every extra euro that comes in, we can make the event even more fun with a great activation program. In any case, the project organization is already scaling up behind the scenes.”
The kick-off of the start of the Vuelta on 19 August will take place in Utrecht, Den Bosch and Breda on 12 May.
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