Very involved in the subject of cyclist safety, Marion Rousse spoke at length about the death of Paul Varry, run over by a motorist in Paris.
Former runner, star consultant for France Télévisions and director of the Tour de France women: Marion Rousse is one of the most beautiful symbols of cycling in France. So much so that France TV entrusted him with the presentation of a program dedicated to cycling, a first number having recently been filmed in Bordeaux and the Arcachon Basin.
It will notably be about the little queen on a daily basis. A daily life that is sometimes difficult, as evidenced by the recent tragedy that occurred in the capital with the death of Paul Varry, a 27-year-old “cycle worker” run over by a motorist with whom he had had an altercation. Questioned in the columns of Le Parisien about this tragedy, the former French champion let her emotion shine through.
“The scale of this tragedy obviously surprised me. But the difficulty of cohabiting between drivers and cyclists has been something I have experienced on a daily basis for years. Afterwards, what happened to Paul last week, it was not an accident. If the driver hadn't seen it, yes. But this was deliberate. He drove over her consciously. It's murder. Nothing less”she said.
And Marion Rousse calls for better education for motorists and good citizenship for cyclists. “Already, it seems essential to me that we learn respect for cyclists in all driving schools, that there be a specific course on respect for bicycles. We really need to educate new drivers about the way cyclists ride.”she explained, adding: “Cyclists must simply respect the Highway Code. Which is not always the case. »
Julian Alaphiippe trains with fear
By her own admission, Marion Rousse has to deal with fear as soon as she is on a bike. “The fear of driving on a daily basis is the basis. The drivers who brush past you while I'm driving alone and I'm not bothering anyone, it happens so much that I no longer count. Sometimes we feel the pleasure of just grazing. Same for retro shots in the shoulder. I received lots of them »she assured. And this fear would also be shared by his companion, Julian Alaphilippe.
“Almost every time he goes out, Julian also has altercations. He is brushed against and is very afraid,” she confided to Le Parisien. So much so that she hopes that her son Nino will not follow in his parents' footsteps by becoming a cyclist. “Julian and I are often told: “Your son is definitely going to become a cyclist when he grows up. » But, deep down, I don't want that. I would be too scared for him when he went to train,” she whispered.
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