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Writing La Gazette de la Manche
Published on
May 5, 2025 at 6:06 p.m.
The South Manche is in the spotlight of the 60th round of the cycling round. 585.3 km long, this anniversary edition will take place over four days and five stages for a positive elevation of 7,468 m, a sign that the organizers, on the lookout for the slightest coast, took care to offer runners a “breakage” course which will sacre a complete runner.
Thursday, May 22, the runners will set off from Sartilly-Baie-Bocage in the direction of Isigny-le-Buat for an inaugural stage of 165.3 km. The next day, head to the north of the department for an 11.2 km time trial in the morning and then a 90.2 km loop in the afternoon around Barneville-Carteret. On Saturday, the 4th stage, the longest (166.3 km) will take the runners of Saint-Jean-d’Alle in Sourdeval. Finally, the last step, 152.3 km long, will connect … the neighboring municipalities of Donville-les-Bains and Granville!
An international platoon
A peloton of 126 units, 21 teams of six runners, is expected at the start of the national test registered for the third consecutive year in the Raymond Poulidor challenge. We will find in Sartilly Nine DN1 teams, including the Bricquebec Cotentin team and the VC Rouen; Eight teams of DN2/DN3 including the three Manchoises of ES Torigny-les-Villes, VC Avranches and Moyon-Percy.
Added to this is the VC Vire Bocage by Nicolas Malle, 2016 European Junior Champion in front of a certain Tadej Pogacar and the three foreign teams in competition: the Dutch of Kempen’s TWC, the English of Mucoff-Src-Stock and the Algerians of Madar ProcyCling Team, “which could be a good surprise” according to Michel Ecroignard, President of the Tour of the Channel Organization (TMO).
To budget the 120 000 € €
“Organizing a round of the Channel is a long -term job, which extends over nine months,” explains Thierry Bouard, secretary of TMO. Finding the host cities, tracing the steps, finding partners to complete the budget of € 120,000, is not the easiest thing in this organization.
Without counting on all the logistics to take into account: safety of runners thanks to four bikers of the gendarmerie and 21 civilians (Les Vélomotards); Accommodation of teams, recruitment of a thousand volunteers to keep roads and crossroads with the help of the municipalities visited.
A paracyclist invited to Barneville
In continuation of the 2024 Olympic year, the organizers invited Andy Birée, an athlete Handisport, to take part in the tribute to Barneville-Carteret. The 26-year-old paracyclist, world n ° 20 in the MH4 category in 2024, who seeks to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles (United States) will start last for this exhibition. “It is a beautiful challenge for us because the round of the Channel must evolve,” says Michel Ecroignard. Andy Birée will explain his project to the public after the 3rd stage arrived in the afternoon. »»
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