Clément Pédron, media365: published on Monday April 14, 2025 at 3:43 p.m.
Invited by the Intermarché-Wanty team, Mathieu Bastareaud rolled in a paved sector borrowed during Paris-Roubaix. The RCT sports coordinator had trouble but still joined the arrival.
It is not necessarily the ideal playground for the runners so imagine for an old rugby player in a bicycle. Mathieu Bastareaud has had a joyful experience. And precisely, to see it and to hear it, it was not “bitter” at all this experience. A few days ago, before Paris-Roubaix for professionals, whether in women or men, Intermarché-Wanty training has identified “northern hell”. To one detail. The Belgian team did not take its runners in its luggage but Mathieu Bastareaud, the former rugby player! As part of a video published by the cycling training, the former tricolor international carried out the challenge of riding in a pavement sector borrowed during Paris-Roubaix.
Bastareaud: “I hadn’t signed for that”
Equipped from head to toe with the official intermarché-Wanty outfit, Mathieu Bastareaud took his mount in hand. But he did not do it alone. To accompany him, two beautiful escaped companions with Lilian Calmejane and Steve Chainel, two former runners. With no less than 2100 meters of cobblestones on the chosen layout, the former rugby player signed on the steep and bumpy paths of the northern course. In the dust of northern hell, the native of Créteil gave himself to the end, revealing “in pissing off a little” against the retirees of the pelotons. Nevertheless, despite a size obviously not made for professional cycling, the former Lou player managed well and managed to rally the André-Pétrieux Vélodrome of Roubaix. A future challenge that the sports coordinator of RC Toulon will launch to the men of Pierre Mignoni? Possible…
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