News about the Tour, Four Days Marches, bridge, and region (Wednesday, July 22)

In the Tour, Thymen Arensman started his time trial ten seconds late. He waited just near the start. According to Arensman, no one told him he had to start, and Huub Artz was twice obstructed by team cars of XDS-Astana.

On the first day of the Nijmegen Four Days Marches (Nijmeegse Vierdaagse), 805 walkers did not start or dropped out. As a result, 44,956 participants finished on Tuesday. In Elst, walkers could rest at the Grote Kerk and receive a personal blessing.

From September 22, the Netherlands will ban products from illegal Israeli settlements. Minister Berendsen writes this to the House of Representatives. The ban also applies to Dutch companies abroad and lasts three years.

The Merwede Bridge between Sleeuwijk and Gorinchem has been closed to freight traffic since Saturday. Rijkswaterstaat took this measure because parts of the steel bridge are less strong. The municipality of Altena is asking Minister Karremans for quick measures against nuisance and additional costs.

On Tuesday, there was regional news about a fire at solar panels in Leek. There was also a collision on the N370. Furthermore, an escaped monkey remains missing near Beekse Bergen, students from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU Eindhoven) presented a solar-powered ambulance, and Rijkswaterstaat warns of disruptions on the Moerdijk Bridge.