Held across Denmark, Sweden and Norway, the Tour of Scandinavia – Battle of the North (9-14 August) saw Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig claim success for FDJ Suez Futuroscope, and the event organisers claim success for the environment.
In collaboration with Viken County Municipality, the organisers worked hard to meet the requirements of Norway's Eco-Lighthouse certification, which was formally awarded during a Sustainability and Equality Seminar following the queen stage at Norjefell Ski & Spa.
Eco-Lighthouse is Norway's most widely used environmental management and certification scheme. It is recognised by the EU Commission and meets high international environmental standards. The Tour of Scandinavia – Battle of the North is the first cycling race to achieve the special criteria for sporting events in Norway by fulfilling strict requirements for:
waste sorting and recycling
sustainable procurement, including drinks, food and accommodation
environmental transportation
energy efficiency
health, environment and safety (HES) and work environment.
The organisers used information and tips contained in the UCI Sustainability Guidelines to ensure their event was as eco-friendly as possible.
As part of our Eco-lighthouse certification, we are implementing guarded- and fenced bicycle parking for free for spectators in all finish areas of this years Tour of Scandinavia💜🍀🚲#ecolighthouse #sustainability #environmentalfriendly #tosc22 #tourofscandinavia #uciwwt pic.twitter.com/kSTWbEFPus
— Tour of Scandinavia - Battle of the North (@Battlenor) July 28, 2022
Recycling plastic waste
The race implemented a waste handling system along the course for riders, teams, and workforce. Close collaboration with the host cities in Denmark and Sweden overcame the challenges of ensuring a consistent approach between the countries.
At the stage 4 finish in Mysen (Norway), new technology was showcased in the fan zone to demonstrate circular economy solutions being developed in Viken County. Polypropylene (PP) and Polyethylene (PE) plastic waste collected along the race route was heated in a machine that creates an oil retaining 85% - 95% of the original input material. This oil can then be sold to plastic producers and reused to make new plastic. This technology is scalable, with the potential for reselling 600 tonnes of the municipality's plastic waste per year back to plastic producers.
Local, sustainable food, drinks and accommodation
Every day 560 food packages were distributed to the race workforce, drivers, and media. All food and drink were sourced locally from companies based near the start towns, showcasing organic and sustainable products from the local areas. Race hotels were also selected based on their use of local products, renewable energy, and sustainability actions.
Reducing impact from transport
The race organisation's fleet included both electric and hybrid vehicles. The race’s Norwegian stopover had comprehensive charging infrastructure; however, this was more challenging in Sweden and Denmark, where long transfer distances were a barrier to having a fully electric fleet. Data has been collected from the vehicles to understand the impacts of long transfers, which could influence future decisions on race routes and lead to a more compact race geography.
Improving energy efficiency
The race set a target to reduce the number of generators and improve energy efficiency by 50%. Key to this was using mains power wherever possible and benefitting from Norway's electricity production which leads the way in Europe when it comes to producing from renewable sources. Around 92% of electricity produced in Norway comes from hydropower, with wind power contributing another 6.4% to the country's electricity mix.
Remote broadcast solution
One of the main innovations to improve energy efficiency and reduce transportation was to use 4G mobile infrastructure for TV production of the race. The broadcast was designed around a remote production workflow, with all camera feeds being transmitted via 4G to a central production control facility in Oslo (Norway). This workflow reduced the number of personnel required to travel with the race and replaced two outside broadcast trucks on the ground at each stage. This innovation also removed the need for link flights above the race, significantly lowering the carbon emissions from the broadcast.
Broadcast partner NEP was involved since the start of the year to help redesign the TV production. Planning involved evaluating signal strength for all stages, with an investment of €12,000 required to boost the available 4G signal near borders with Sweden and Denmark.
Sustainable synergy
The Tour of Scandinavia – Battle of the North creates other sustainable development synergies with children's cycling activities, local health initiatives, active travel promotion, and peripheral cultural events. The race's commitment to sustainability and achieving the Eco-Lighthouse certification was a key part of the Norwegian Government funding process.
Event Director Roy Moberg said that making the race known for its sustainability actions was an important way to attract the best riders and teams.
Jens Haugland, General Manager of the UNO X team, agreed that the sustainability measures were noticeable; "The Tour of Scandinavia is creating a sum of minor stories that fit into a good sustainability message. There is enormous synergy with what we are doing as a team, which will continue to develop over time".
The Eco-Lighthouse certification is valid for three years, with the Tour of Scandinavia – Battle of the North obliged to continuously improve against its targets over the coming years.