National federation likely to bring arbitration case before the UCI
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The 2015 Tour de France started in the Dutch city of Utrecht(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Huge crowds turned out in Utrecht for the start of the Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Utrecht mayor Jan van Zanen at the Tour de France route presentation in Paris(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Rohan Dennis in the first yellow jersey of the 2015 Tour de France ready to roll out of Utrecht for the start of stage 2(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Dutch fans were out in force
The Dutch national cycling federation, KNWU, is reportedly awaiting a €140,000 payment from ASO, the organisers of the Tour de France, for hosting the 2015 Grand Depart in Utrecht. The KNWU director Huib Kloosterhuis told Dutch state broadcaster NOS an arbitration case will be brought the UCI to recoup the money which is yet to paid four months later. The UCI is reporedtely considering the case and will make a judgement later this month.
It is common in the Netherlands that race organisers pay the KNWU with that revenue used for courses, training centres and anti-doping programs.
"For ASO that is a little amount of money, but for us it's serious money, so let's not let this happen," Kloosterhuis was reported as telling NOS.
Along with hosting the stage 1 time trial through its city streets, Utrecht also hosted the start of stage 2 of this year's Tour won by Chris Froome of Team Sky.
The city of Utrecht paid ASO €4 million to host 2015 Tour de France while in comparison Rotterdam paid €2.5 million when it hosted the race in 2010.
The Grand Partenza of the 2016 Giro d'Italia will also be a Dutch affair as the race starts in Apeldoorn and spends the first three stages in the country before heading south to Italy. Kloosterhuis explained he is not worried of encountering similar issues with RCS, the Giro organisers, who KNWU have "proper arrangements" with and isn't afraid of what may happen regarding future Tour Grand Depart's by pursuing ASO.
"If they do not wish to abide by the rules, then they do come to the Netherlands. The Giro and the Vuelta are also very beautiful," he said.
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The Netherlands have been a popular starting destination for the three grand tours in the last 15 years with the Tour, in 2010 and 2015, the Giro in 2002, 2010 and next year, and the Vuelta in 2009.
