City council in Lethbridge, Alta. to consider hosting prologue stage of the 2016 Tour of Alberta: reports
On September 3, 2014, the city of Lethbbridge, Alta. was the site of the first stage of that year's Tour of Alberta -- a hilly, 143-kilometre route that was won by Germany's Ruben Zepuntke, who would go on to win third overall for the Tour.
On September 3, 2014, the city of Lethbbridge, Alta. was the site of the first stage of that year’s Tour of Alberta — a hilly, 143-kilometre route that was won by Germany’s Ruben Zepuntke, who would go on to win third overall for the Tour. Optum’s Ryan Anderson, meanwhile, took third, rolling across the finish right on the wheel of Zepuntke’s winning time of 3:18.10.
It was wet, the course slicked by a torrential downpour that drenched competing athletes. Nonetheless, it was thrilling, intense, and put the world’s spotlight on the Alberta municipality, with over 50 million international viewers tuning in from 161 countries.
In September, Lethbridge was absent from the Tour’s schedule for this year. Judging from reports, though, city council may be considering welcoming 2016’s Tour of Alberta once again.
The prologue stage of the 2016 event — which, this year, was a four-kilometre individual time trial starting an ending in Calgary, won by Tom Dumoulin — has already been pitched to Lethbridge’s municipal government by Tour of Alberta organizers, which would fall next year on August 31. Having world-class athletes and throngs of jubilant spectators descend on your city, it goes without saying, is obviously an economic boon. Still, being a host city at the Tour of Alberta doesn’t come without a price.
For Lethbridge, a financial commitment of $300,000 would be required — a $250,000 community-rights fee in order to host the stage, with an additional price tag of $50,000, representing the cost of peripherals like city services. It’s a hefty financial weight for any town or city to bear, but having seen and experienced the Tour of Alberta first-hand — however rainy it may have been — authorities in Lethbridge may find themselves seriously considering it.
Ashley Matthews, project co-ordinator for Recreation & Culture, plans to make a presentation on the benefit of hosting the event to council, the Lethbridge Herald reports, at which time he’ll request a final decision from the city.
