Since the time his warm and gravelly voice has wandered from competition to competition, Jean-Jacques Demay, 62, has been part of the landscape of the Breton track.
Kimono, oval and pedal board
And yet nothing predestined this judo and rugby practitioner to have a passion for the little queen. “It all started when I lived in the Paris region,” he recalls. I took my kids to training, except because of the traffic, I didn’t have time to leave and come back. I was waiting for the kids to finish. One day I asked the club volunteers if they needed a hand and was told, “Yes, but it would be nice if you took some exams for the bike school.” I said ok. My exams in hand, the manager left without warning. And it was me who was thrust into his place. » Without ever having ridden a bike competitively!
A former soldier, he was transferred to Vannes, where again, he managed the cycling school before taking over the “track” section in 2003…
“There are U17s who walk terribly”
Today, after more than 20 years of following and advising young track riders, Jean-Jacques Demay’s flair no longer needs to be proven. And it is therefore logical that we asked him for his prediction on these “France Avenir” 2024. “Even if we never estimate the chances of medals, I think we can be quite good in this edition. There are U17s, like Zoé Bihan, who walk terribly. »
And when we ask him about his presence next year, his answer bursts out: “I love the track, its atmosphere, everything. As long as I don’t get tired of it, I’ll continue. »
Senegal
