Glencore steps in as one Gold Sponsor of Tour de Suisse

As reported earlier this week there was speculation that Porsche (Switzerland) might pull out of its Gold Sponsorship of the starting weekend of the Tour de Suisse (TdS) cycle race as it passes through Rotkreuz in 2015. This has now been confirmed but fortunately the organisers of the TdS Rotkreuz Hub have found a new Gold Sponsor in the Glencore commodity trading company of Baar.
 
Kathrin Sonderegger, the project leader of the TdS Rotkreuz Hub, explained that the reason why the German sports car manufacturer had withdrawn its offer of Gold Sponsorship was because it had been decided not to hold the run-up to the finish of a race on Blegistrasse, where the new headquarters of Porsche (Switzerland) are shortly to open, because there was insufficient space for a safety zone. Now the finishing point of the race is planned for Industriestrasse. Understandably, this is not so beneficial to Porsche and so it was mutually agreed to rescind the initial sponsoring contract. Furthermore, a land-owner in the area had also withdrawn permission.
Now Glencore has stepped in to act as Gold Sponsor and make a contribution to the overall costs, which the organisers put at CHF 800,000.
 
What is also encouraging is that a number of local companies such as the Baar Brewery, Pneu Egger, Abbott, Schneider Environment Services and indeed Porsche, too, have all agreed to be Silver Sponsors.
 
None the less, the organisers are still concerned the starting weekend of the TdS is still not sufficiently financed and they are looking for two more Gold Sponsors and other donors. "Negotiations are ongoing and appear quite encouraging," said Sonderegger.
 
As previously reported, parts of the TdS will actually be staged in Rotkreuz in 2016 and 2017 as well as next year and the Glencore company has promised to sponsor these years, too.
 
In 2015 there will be a major commemorations of the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Morgarten, when Confederate (Swiss) troops saw off a threat from Habsburg (Austrian) rule in 1315, and it is planned to involve these with the TdS, with one section of the race possibly going through Morgarten itself.
 
The organising committee, chaired by Beat Villiger, the head of the cantonal government, is now busy planning to make the public, and in particular young people, aware of the TdS coming to the canton. To this end, as from February, static cycling facilities (second photograph) will be taken to schools and shopping centres where anyone can have a go and test their speed over a simulated 1,200 metres. Those recording the best times in each municipality will then be invited to take part in finals on the occasion of the starting weekend of the TdS in Rotkreuz next year.