This is a serious brake on the Verbois hill climb. The municipality of Russin issued an unfavorable notice. The 68th edition “will not take place”, confirms the mayor, Olivier Favre. This decision follows the adoption (by 4 yes and 3 abstentions) of a resolution by the municipal council. The latter highlighted the “inappropriate use of this road”, the “incessant comings and goings causing noise pollution for the neighborhood” and recalled the death of a young motorcyclist on February 24.
Considering that “certain events organized on this site encourage users to come and train”, the deliberative decision was in favor of the installation of two radars on this road, the intensification of road checks but also this negative notice .
“We have been fighting for more than 15 years against the comings and goings of bikers on this section. We absolutely have to do something!”, underlines the mayor. While he recognizes that the race organizers are not responsible, he adds: “They are paying for the behavior of a minority. It’s unfortunate but that’s how it is! We hit where it hurts.”
Luc Bonfils, president of the Norton sport club Geneva, deplores the fact that “a popular event has been sacrificed”. Especially since, as he points out, “it is forbidden to train on this route under penalty of being excluded from the race”. Same story from Aristos Marcou, president of the Génération2Motards association: “The race is not responsible for the situation. It’s even thanks to us that many bikers avoid the area in order to keep the local residents quiet and thus protect the race.” And remember that the petition supporting the event collected many more signatures than the one calling for its cancellation.
Both argue that they have been doing prevention for several years in Verbois or in other sectors such as Saint-Cergue (VD). Luc Bonfils is campaigning for “traffic restriction with a removable system” on this section. Enough to improve safety throughout the year, while allowing the race to take place. “Even if there is little chance that the Canton will go against the municipality’s notice, we will fight,” he concludes.
