“Why travel by bike? Because it is a symbol of women's emancipation and an ecological way of getting around, which allows a form of freedom in slowness”, summarizes Faustine Orveillon, 26 years old, who is preparing to pack her bags for a tour of Europe of 19,000 km, departing from the family home of La Ville-Helle, in Saint-Igneuc (commune of Jugon-les-Lacs). Second solo Cycling challenge in sight, for the young sportswoman who has already completed a tour of Great Britain in 2022, in two months and 2,600 km, for the benefit of the French Lowe Syndrome Association. A warm-up, compared to the next objective…
“Tarifa, the North Cape… but not Russia”
“The project is to create a route starting from Jugon and arriving in Jugon, passing through the extreme points of continental Europe,” explains Faustine, map in hand. “The furthest west will be Cabo da Roca, in Portugal; Tarifa, Spain, for the south; then the North Cape, in Norway, and Virmajärvi in Finland, for the easternmost point, which is normally located in Russia… but I don’t really want to go that way at the moment,” smiles Faustine, holder of a license in Staps adapted physical activity, obtained in Brest, supplemented by a Master's degree, in Clermont-Ferrand, and training as a bicycle mechanic, in Quimper.
“Making adapted sport visible”
But why embark on such an adventure? “I want to make adapted sport visible, by meeting throughout my career athletes and educators who develop activities adapted to disabilities, both physical and psychological,” explains the young woman, who discovered these disciplines during of his studies. “I worked with people with disabilities and it taught me a lot, it became obvious to highlight activities adapted to these audiences, which are little known,” says Faustine, who plans to produce a series video interviews, posted on social networks during his meetings.
“Call for donations”
Such a trip needs to be prepared and financed… “I am launching an appeal for donations, to cover logistical costs, with a forecast budget of €19,000, for the purchase of clothing, equipment for bivouac and make the videos… I can carry 40 kg of equipment on my bike,” explains Faustine, who created the association “Footloose by bike”, her adventurer name meaning “to be free and untethered, on a bike”. “If I raise more money than necessary, I will donate the surplus to an association working in the sports and disability sector,” concludes the one who will mount her pedal steed on January 2, 2025, and pedal for a good cause and rightly so. of 70 km per day, “without electrical assistance”, for an escape lasting several months. “But no more than a year, I want to be back in Jugon before Christmas 2025! “.
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