Olivier Senn, head of the Tour de Suisse since 2019, is responsible for the sporting side of the Cycling and Para-Cycling Road World Championships. The organization professional comments on the figures surrounding the major event.
20.09.2024, 04:00
20.09.2024, 07:20
SDA
1: Olivier Senn was the first employee in the OC after Zurich won the bid. Despite his routine, the 54-year-old experiences hectic days. "The wealth of details that need to be clarified keeps me on my toes. At the Tour de Suisse, we are the drivers, we have the experience. Now the processes are more complex, the UCI is making demands and we are facing new challenges in the detailed planning," says the man from Fricktal. "One point that must not be ignored: We are organizing two world championships."
8.5: Senn cites the tight schedule with 53 races in 8.5 days as the biggest challenge. "We have the rest under control. And unlike other sports, we are not dependent on the weather."
40: That's how many pedestrian safety islands have to be dismantled (and then rebuilt) to ensure the safety of the professional cyclists. There are 16 of them in the canton and 24 in the city. "There are also some ramps and special cases," adds Senn. There are plenty of examples on YouTube of what can happen if such obstacles are left on the route.
850,000 spectators expected
1800: A major event cannot be held without the volunteers. "They are deployed across the board according to their skills. It's not just about securing the course," emphasizes the former elite amateur.
850,000: at least that many spectators are expected along the routes over a total of nine days. "I'm expecting a festival atmosphere on the second weekend in particular. It's not just the Swiss who are there, but also a lot of foreigners. We are a global sport," emphasizes the man from Gansingen.
22,000,000: The budget of the local organizing committee for the Cycling and Para-Cycling Road World Championships is 22 million Swiss francs. This includes own costs, material costs and services provided by the four main interest groups involved: The federal government, canton and city of Zurich as well as the sponsors with just under a third. The project is on track and within the defined budget. Senn classifies the event as a "huge box". "The infrastructure with hotel beds and the like is also in place.
180 degrees: 180 degrees stands for headwind. The organizer initially faced criticism from various quarters - primarily because of the route and the associated restrictions. "This perception bothered me." There are not only problems with such a major event, but a lot of positive things can be achieved in Switzerland. "And we have achieved that. Politicians also supported the event. Zurich has done a lot." There is also an upswing in cycling. "More and more people are riding bikes, and the World Championships offer something for everyone involved in cycling - not just die-hard fans."
2 and second: The World Cycling Championships only have to cope with two absentees. Senn mentions the names of Marlen Reusser, who is ill, and the injured Wout van Aert. Two-time Tour winner Vingegaard, on the other hand, is not a one-day rider and would not have been on the cards. "For me, the rainbow jersey is the second highest accolade in cycling; the world champion wears it for a whole year. Only the overall victory at the Tour de France is more important to me."
