summer after Summer, the Danish cycling fans followed the world’s biggest stage races on their tv screens, and has played a significant role, as the Tour organizers had to take the decision of a Danish Grand Départ in 2021.
It takes the author, the filmmaker and the long-standing cykelkommentator for TV2 Jørgen Leth.
– the Tour de France has the attitude that they would like to pay something back to their loyal audience. I think, therefore, that they finally agreed that there should be a start in Denmark, he says.
– It is a form of recognition of the faithfulness of the Danish viewers of the Tour de France.
Denmark is among the countries in the world where the viewing figures for the Tour de France through a number of years has been greatest in relation to the size of the population.
And when the race director Christian Prudhomme on Thursday in front of a large yellow canvas in Copenhagen should tell about the background for the Danish Tour-start, he referred precisely to the passion among the Danish cycling fans.
Passion has not, however, done it alone for the French organizers, believes Leth.
It definitely has helped to have been able to present a good audience shares, and some experience with major events such as the road WORLD championships in cycling in Copenhagen in 2011.
– They can understand the numbers. Prudhomme and ASO (Tour de france organizer Amaury Sport Organization, ed.) is first and foremost a business, so therefore does the number matter for them. It is not sentimentally. It is cash, he says.
– But the energy in it is the Danish viewers ‘ enthusiasm. That is, it actually succeeded in creating so great an interest in Denmark.
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How it looked at Friday’s presentation. Photo: Ritzau Scanpix/Mads Claus Rasmussen
this is How it looks when a Tour stage starts. Photo: Jeff Pachoud/Ritzau Scanpix
While the Tour brings both the media attention, tourism and the cycling of the highest class to Denmark, bringing Denmark a fine talent and three very well chosen stages for the race, think cykelkommentatoren.
– Forretten in Denmark on the flat terrains, the beautiful roads and the beautiful landscapes are an aperitif for the race, he says.
2. stage of 190 kilometers from Roskilde to Nyborg across the great belt Bridge can be a highlight, says he.
– Over the bridge it can only be very nice. It can be out of control because of the wind. It is clear that it is spectacular. But I don’t think that the race will be settled in Denmark in any way, he says.
1. stage in Copenhagen, which is a time trial of 13 miles, will be a splendid display, with everything the city has “national monuments”, believe cykelkommentatoren.
– It is indeed a great scene. It is fantastic to see the prologue in the streets of Copenhagen. In the heart of historic Copenhagen, says Jørgen Leth.
the Organizer, the hope is that over 900.000 spectators will attend the three stages of the Danish roads.
The Danish author, filmmaker and commentator can only rejoice to follow folkefesten after commenting on cycling in both good times and times of crisis.
– It is quite happy that it ends this way, says Jørgen Leth.
What do we know about the Tour de France Grand Départ in Denmark
– the Whole of the Tour de France and the field come to Denmark to run the first three stages in the summer of 2021.
– Start in Denmark has been given the slogan “The greatest cycling race in the world meets the best cycling city in the world”.
– 900.000 spectators are expected to attend the three stages in Denmark.
– the Budget for the Danish Grand Départ is set to 88 million dollars.
– Tour de France transmiteres in 190 countries and has roughly 3.5 billion tv viewers during the race the world over.
– the Day after the third stage will be held the day of rest, and the teams fly to France.
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