Rotterdam waved goodbye to the Tour De France this morning when the tour rolled over the Erasmus Bridge, out past Feynoord's De Kuip stadium and on its way to Brussels.
Although much of the organisation had gone well with the Ahoy Complex being well used as a media centre and as an information resource, there was a lot that gave cause for concern especially as Rotterdam is part of The Netherlands's bid for the 2018 World Cup.
Unlike London, which put on a superb show when it hosted Le Grand Depart in 2007, security and the safety of riders and spectators was a major concern.
Previous host cities ensured that the riders had plenty of room to slow down, take in some much need fluid, give interviews or speak to fans\friends and get back to their team buses in complete safety.
This, yesterday in the Prologue was not the case as the public were allowed by Dutch police and security who could all be described as clueless as to how to ensure safety, knowledgeless and certainly not as well trained as 99% of English football ground stewards, to make the run off for the riders which is a dangerous place anyway with cars and motorbikes shooting around, to enter an area that is normally barriered off for the protection of everyone.
With fans milling round, some riders felt the best thing to do was head back to the bus including some of the British riders. However, Manuel Cardoso ended up being brought down by spectators and him suffering facial injuries which looked quite horrific and there were also a couple of other riders who were barged and nearly knocked off their bikes by fans not looking on where they were going.
Today as Le Tour prepared to leave, there was more chaos with crushing outside the Radio Shack team bus in another area where the public should not have been permitted. A young boy of about ten years old collapsed due to heat and shoving. After treatment by the team doctor he was revived and a smile was brought back to his young face with a Lance Armstrong signed cap. 
Again the stewards on the course who were content to shove anyone around including women and those who got their fun by sending the press and public round the houses, gave a bad reflection of their city and if that is how Rotterdam stages major sporting events, maybe the English 2018 World Cup bid has got even stronger.
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service.