Amstel Gold Race

Research the economic and societal impact of the Amstel Gold Race on the region, assessing both direct effects during the event weekend and indirect benefits throughout the year, while also exploring local residents’ perceptions and potential strategies for enhancing community pride in hosting the race.

The Project

The Project

Want to be part of one of the largest sporting events in the Netherlands? Here’s your opportunity! The Amstel Gold Race is one of the world’s premier cycling events, starting annually in Maastricht and ending in Valkenburg, with a route that winds through South Limburg. The day before the professionals compete, 15,000 amateur cyclists take part in the race.

We would like to ask the PREMIUM students to conduct research on the economic and societal impact of the Amstel Gold Race on the region. This includes not only the direct effects of the actual event weekend but also the indirect impact, such as the return of visitors and cyclists to the area throughout the year. How much revenue stays within the region? Do local residents take pride in hosting the Amstel Gold Race in their community? If not, how could we change that?

It is important to know that the area of South-Limburg and its recreation there as one of the Dutch most attractive (recreative) areas,  has long been part of a discussion about mobility issues resulting from daytime recreation, tourism and events. These are perceived by certain parties to be increasingly a threat to both the quality of life of residents in the hill country and residential tourism, which is based on nature, peace and quiet. However, is that actually the case in the context of Amstel Gold Race?

With these outcomes, we can convince the municipalities of Limburg, the Province of Limburg, and other partners of the significance of the Amstel Gold Race weekend for the region and its residents. Furthermore, we can make informed decisions within the organization and implement initiatives to, for instance, increase local community engagement with the Amstel Gold Race.

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Research-oriented

In this project, the focus is on “discovering something new”

The Client

The Client

The Amstel Gold Race is a Dutch cycling classic for both men’s and women’s professional cycling, held annually in the spring in the hilly region of Limburg since 1966. The name comes from the main sponsor, the beer brand Amstel, which at that time also released the Amstel Gold beer. The Amstel Gold Race has been part of the World Cup cycling series since its inception in 1989 and therefore is part of the most biggest cycling races in the world. More than 250.000 spectators watch the races live in the region and over 10 million people watch it on television.
Since 2001, in addition to the professional race, a tour version, a cyclosportive, has also been organized for amateurs, recreational cyclists, and other interested participants. Riders can choose from routes of 60, 100, 125, 150, 200, or 250 km. The Amstel Gold Race tour version is the most popular cycling event in the Netherlands. Each year, around 15,000 recreational cyclists participate, who are lucky enough to secure an entry. The tour version is held annually on the Saturday before the professional race in April.

Formal Client

This client provides an assignment and perceives the team of students as consultants doing a job for them. The formal client provides guidance and supports the team with feedback, but is not actively involved in project execution.