Issoire Cyclisme will remain in N3 next year and is not one of the clubs which will leave the Nationale. But the situation is not satisfactory for Claude Laffaires, its president. “If we look at the sporting criterion (read the 2024-2025 mid-campaign ranking here), we should be in N2 but we don’t have the means. This has been the case for several seasons but due to lack of resources we are stagnating in N3“, he regrets to DirectVelo. Present in N3 since 2013, the club cannot finance the surplus activity linked to the presence in N2, nor a Juniors structure which was part of the projects.”We would have to pay an employee and a race calendar that interests and attracts runners but that requires additional expenses that cannot be combined with that of the N3“.
“THESE STRUCTURES CAUSE AN HIGH BIDDING”
The Auvergne club is based on volunteering, at all levels. “Since we have been in DN, we have not provided bikes or expenses to the runners, all the supervision is voluntary whereas today, everyone wants to take advantage of the structures“. The manager points the finger at the competition between clubs which turns the heads of the runners who give in to the sirens. “It’s at all levels and it’s complicated in human relationships within the team. When Atria was set up, they were our neighbors, they offered more resources to runners. So runners who have not yet shown anything come to ask us what we could give them. Runners gargle with the N3 label but without training anymorehe observes. All of these structures cause overbidding. If we have to put our hands in our pockets for each of our runners, when we have 15-20, we won’t be able to do it“.
The 7th N3 club in Challenge DV has completed the minimum budget requested by the FFC. “The 50,000 euros, where the a“, assures Claude Laffaires. The label issued by the federation is also a source of income. “Being in N3 allows us to have a regional subsidy and a local subsidy calculated on the number of licensees. There is also a subsidy if we are going to race the French Championship, 1000 to 1500 euros, but nothing for the Coupe de France“, summarizes Claude Laffaires. To get around, Issoire Cyclisme was supported. “We benefit from the provision of a vehicle by the region, a 9-seater Renault Trafic. We have a Ford Transit purchased at 60,000 km and a Peugeot Boxer which is at 200,000 km, a Passat and another second-hand vehicle. We can move people“But the people of Auvergne must be careful with each move.”When you book hotels, you have to calculate. The Coupe de France round of the CLM Champenois cost us 2,500 euros“.
RIDERS AND PARTNERS ATTACHED TO THE N3 LABEL
Among the catalog of possible subsidies, Issoire Cyclisme has never attempted to request subsidies from the National Sports Agency, particularly with regard to employment assistance. “We did not submit a request for assistance to the ANS on the advice of the consulting firm, I don’t know if that’s what should have been done“, concedes the president. On the private financing side, the coronavirus has left its mark.”We have lost private partners since Covid. Several companies are hiding behind the Covid period to reduce their aid. We have a multitude of partners from 500 to 1000 euros but we have less than ten to more than 1000“But the N3 label appeals to businesses.”Partners are attached to this label. Runners too, it’s a reference. Some call me because they are touring the N3, including from abroad, but we cannot accommodate them due to lack of budget”.
A rider from Issoire Cyclisme shone this season but without almost wearing the club jersey. Louis Chaleil, 5th in the DV Junior Challenge, has four victories at UCI level. “Louis was kind enough to remain licensed at the club, appreciates Claude Laffaires, but we couldn’t run him in the Coupe de France because he was running with Decathlon or in the selection“The fallout for the club is zero for the moment.”There is no financial return from Decathlon and that does not even motivate certain partners to get closer to us because Louis’ season is a Decathlon season, he does not have the Issoire label“. If the future rider of the Conti of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale moves to WorldTeam, then Issoire Cyclisme will be able to receive training allowances, 2000 euros per season spent at the club since Cadets 1. That is a little less than the trip for the CLM Champagne…
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