Final cost for Bern rises
When the Tour de France passed through Switzerland and stopped in the Swiss capital this summer, excitement ran high and so did the costs – far higher than expected.
The final tab for the canton of Bern came to CHF2.5 million ($2.53 million), almost 50% more than was approved, the cantonal government said on Thursday.
In March, the cantonal parliament approved CHF1.74 million to host the race between the 18th and 20th of July.
Officials said the cost overruns mainly were due to the need for extra security in the wake of terror attacks elsewhere in Europe.
A hometown celebration
Thousands of people turned out at different spots along the route and in the capital to watch the cyclists race past.
The stage held special significance for Swiss cyclist Fabian Cancellara and his many fans because of its passage through his hometown in his final year as a pro rider.
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.