Return to the first page of the Tour de France. This is how we can describe the project of Philippe Gianonni, a 58-year-old amateur cyclist, licensed by the ASPTT and who has embarked on the rebirth of a real journey at the origin of the Grande Boucle: The Happy ride.
And Joyeux here evokes Théodore Joyeux, a Tonneinquais born in 1865, hairdresser by profession, who had the somewhat eccentric idea of embarking on a solo tour of France in 1895! A feat from which Henri Desgrange would draw inspiration for the creation of the competitive Tour de France 8 years later. “You have to be a little crazy to embark on what I’m going to do,” explains Philippe Gianonni with a laugh. Since Saturday, leaving Agen via Tonneins where the saddle in homage to Théodore Joyeux is located, he has embarked on a 4059km journey! But how did he get the idea to get started? “I was walking around Agen one day with some Danish friends, and we were talking about the “Etape du Tour” that I had just completed. » Karsten then asked me a question: “But, by the way, do you know when the first Tour de France took place? » Proud of myself, I replied without hesitation: “Of course: in 1903, Maurice Garin won! » He then looked at me with a little smile and said: “Someone made one a long time before, around 1895 I think… Look for “Théodore Joyeux” on the internet, you will be surprised! » After some information, Philippe Gianonni was amazed by the cyclist’s feat and then decided to embark on the adventure… Noting, however, that the route would ultimately be shorter than that which had been announced at the time: a rapid calculation showing that Théodore Joyeux’s 5000km was in reality 4000 kilometers.
A tour of France in 19 stages
With his 11 kilo bike and his package, Philippe will pedal with around twenty kilos for 214 km per stage. And as one might suspect, he did not embark on this adventure haphazardly, even if initially nothing predisposed him to embark on such a journey: A fan of cycling since his youth, Back pain forced him to stop this sport. “It was explained to me that I would no longer be able to ride a bike. » I started running, but then it was my knees that were no longer holding up. “I tried the bike again and I was told that if I was in pain, it was because my bike was poorly adjusted,” confides the athlete who has been part of the ASPTT since 2017. To prepare for this journey, the cyclist completed weeks of intense preparation in addition to his training of three or four weekly outings. “I spent a week in Majorca to be able to do a few days of cycling. » I did 900 km in a week, it was hard. Otherwise, I’m around 500 km,” explains the athlete. In total, he has covered 15,000 km on his odometer, covered since 2016.
A symbolic year
Why embark on such an adventure now? Philippe Giannoni explains this for several reasons: “Since this year I have been freed from all professional obligations, which gives me plenty of time to prepare and experience this adventure. In July, we have the Tour de France which spends two days in Lot-et-Garonne, including a departure from Agen and Paris hosts the Olympic Games following: it’s the year of sport in France! » An alignment of planets, as he says himself, which will make it possible to highlight both Theodore Joyeux, the department of Lot-et-Garonne but also the EmmaVie association, an association which promotes road safety through the sport.
A journey to follow step by step
For those who would like to follow his journey, Philippe Gianonni has everything planned. Throughout his route, he shares his adventures on the Facebook page “Le Joyeux Tour”. As we write these lines, Lot-et-Garonnais is already in its third stage: Nantes-Quimper. There are still 16 steps to follow before his return to Agen, expected in around twenty days!
