Utrecht and Noord-Brabant will form the course for the official start of La Vuelta together in 2020. Vuelta Director, Javier Guillén, informed the Mayor of Utrecht, Jan van Zanen, of this on Monday and the both made the official announcement today in Utrecht. The team presentation, the start with a team time trial and the finish of the second stage are to be held in Utrecht in August. The second stage will start in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, while the complete third stage will cover the Province of Noord-Brabant, both starting and finishing in Breda.
The municipalities of Breda,‘s-Hertogenbosch and Utrecht, and the provinces of Noord-Brabant and Utrecht have responded enthusiastically to the ultimate allocation of this major cycling event. The provinces and cities involved intend to turn La Vuelta 20 into a festive occasion, organized both for and by their residents. The provincial and municipal authorities have plans to literally paint the place red, not only along the route of the race, but also in their respective areas.
SALIDA OFICIAL FROM THE NETHERLANDS
The Vuelta Director, Javier Guillén, is looking forward to the ‘Salida Oficial’ in the Netherlands. This will be the second official start of La Vuelta in the Netherlands after Assen 2009 and the fourth time abroad after Lisboa 1987, Assen 2009 and Nîmes 2017. Javier Guillén has every confidence in the successful organization of the event in these cities and provinces. The municipality of Utrecht plays a coordinating role. There is a great passion for cycling in both Utrecht and Noord-Brabant. Both provinces have experience in hosting (major) cycling events. In addition, the cultural-historical ties between Spain and the Netherlands and the topic of sustainability are to serve as the central theme. This was one of the major criteria influencing the management’s decision to award the start of La Vuelta 20 to Utrecht and North Brabant. The Business Peloton Utrecht (BPU) took the initiative to bring the Vuelta start to the Netherlands. BPU is a business network for Utrecht companies and institutions which have a passion for cycling. BPU initially approached the authorities in Utrecht and Brabant in early 2017.
JOINT FUNDING
Preparations for La Vuelta 20 will commence on January 1st 2019, with the establishment of a project organization. The five municipal and provincial bodies in question have joined forces to make it possible to host La Vuelta. However, the private sector is also closely involved in funding the event. Furthermore, a grant application will be submitted to the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports.
