Podium Guys in Amsterdam for the Giro?

The winner of the prologue of the Giro d'Italia in Amsterdam this year should be greeted not by the usual podium girls but by podium guys, a Dutch politician has argued. The Giro opens in the Dutch city on May 8 with an 8km individual time trial.

''In a city like Amsterdam, known as the gay capital, it would be nice not to have two beautiful misses, but two fine misters,” Marco de Goede of the GroenLinks party argued Wednesday at a city council meeting, according to Reuters.

“Do not let a beautiful lady with long legs present the pink jersey award to the winner of the prologue, but a man with a broad chest. Or a drag queen,” he suggested. “A 'Miss' is hopelessly outdated and sexist.”

De Goede said that such an action would not only emphasise Amsterdam as a gay capital, but also contribute to the acceptance of homosexuality in sport.

The Alderman responsible for sports, Carolien Gehrels, however, kept the boat. She pointed out that not the city council but the local TV stations and AT5 RTV Noord-Holland organised a competition to find a so-called round miss.

So far, actress Yolanthe Cabau van Kasbergen has been selected as the Giro “miss”.