The Gran Fondo New York (GFNY) cycling race was in Lourdes on Sunday June 23. An event which attracted nearly 1,000 runners, double the number of last year, despite unpredictable weather.
In front of the convention center, a sea of neon green jerseys sweeps across the lawns. With medals around their necks, the cyclists take a photo of themselves in front of a space provided for this purpose. The almost 1,000 GFNY runners from all over the world look as delighted as they are exhausted after completing this unique cycling race. A race open to the general public, allowing them to experience cycling “like a pro” for a day. For the third year departing and arriving from Lourdes, they had the chance to follow a circuit passing through the Aspin and Tourmalet passes. “These two passes are legendary! It was hard, especially the Tourmalet…” confides Emmanuel, who came from Agen with Laurent, a friend from Toulouse. Many, like them, were doing this race for the first time, with unpredictable weather: “We would have liked to see more of the landscape…” laments Delphine Reinert, who came third and who traveled from the Paca region, “but I am more accustomed to Ventou, so it was interesting! The runners were of all nationalities and all ages to come and climb the Pyrenees. François Hertz, slipped into the 70-74 year old podium (he was the only one), and came all the way from Flanders, in Belgium. After collecting his reward, his wife Hilde, who immortalized the moment with a photo, said she was “very proud.” It was the second participation of this man who “loves the region”. Will he come back next year? “Maybe! But I’m already 74 years old…” Many note the good organization of the race, and significant safety on the course with several small closed roads, even if others would have liked a little more, especially on the big passes, where there were “a lot of cars”, regrets a runner.
Almost 1,000 runners
On Sunday, of the 1,057 cyclists registered, there were just over 900 at the start. Double from last year, when there were 500, and triple from the first edition in 2022, when 290 people made the trip. Faced with demand, the partnership with the race was renewed for three years. “The objective is to follow this progression, explains Mohamed Dilmi, deputy in charge of sports, through collaborative work with GFNY. For the moment the city has committed to supporting up to 1,000 people , but we don’t close the door.”
A way for the municipality to diversify its tourist attractiveness, no longer just through religious tourism. “The figures speak for themselves, with 88% of participants staying in Lourdes” as the sports assistant confirms. “We are a welcoming land, from the moment the event meets expectations, and certain values, including respect for the environment” affirms Mohamed Dilmi, who underlines the strong links with the organization, in particular Cédric Haas, race director. In the possibilities for the coming years: making the race a real complete sporting event, by joining the sports medicine congress the day before “to share the experts with the general public.”
