the essential
On Sunday 4 August, the 24th edition of the Vélotoise will set off from the Esplanade du Foirail. This cyclo-sportive event is organised by the Vélo Club Figeacois, with once again this year the prestigious sponsorship of David Moncoutié, who is returning to the scene of his 2004 exploit.
La Vélotoise: a classic that has become essential
On Wednesday evening, the president of the Vélo club figeacois, Claude Lopez, and the treasurer, Michel Palis, received partners, sponsors and volunteers at the clubhouse of the Marcel Costes stadium to present the outlines of the 24th edition of the Lot cyclosportive. Nathalie Faure, deputy for sport; Michel Layssiére, elected representative of Grand-Figeac; Monique Larroque, elected representative and president of the local blood donor association, were present.
Since you don’t change a winning team, the organizers have repeated the 4 circuits of the previous event, always popular with participants. For this sporting event on the FFC Cyclo Sport calendar, we will therefore find the 2 timed races, the Vélotoise with 124 km and 1930 m of elevation gain, the Figeacoise of 104 km and 1665 m, and the 2 hikes of 76 km for 1157 m and 32 km with 482 m of elevation gain. We can therefore see 4 complementary courses that highlight the territory of Limargue and Ségala. The competitors will cross some of the most beautiful villages and sites in the department, such as Carennac, Loubressac, Autoire or Lacapelle-Marival.
In his opening remarks, Claude Lopez recalled that “La Vélotoise is a timed endurance cyclosportive on a road open to traffic, which requires riders to respect the highway code. In a few figures, it is also a budget of €35,000, a budget held thanks to our partners and subsidies from the town of Figeac, Grand-Figeac, the department and the region. It is also 140 volunteers and the assurance for all, riders or volunteers, to be insured with the FFC. It is also an event open to the world of disability, as evidenced by the twenty or so affiliated riders that we have every year at the start of the event.”
Created in 2000 by Robert Auguié, then president of the Figeac-Saint-Céré Cycling Agreement, the Vélotoise brings together hundreds of volunteers, partners and local elected officials.
If there were less than a hundred competitors for the first edition, participation, for the last fifteen years, has regularly exceeded 600 competitors. Riders come mainly from the great South-West, but also from the four corners of France, Belgium and even England. The president of the cycling club was pleased to point out that it is one of the rare cyclosportives where the start and finish are in the city center, with a warm departure village to unite and welcome all the participants in the event with a breakfast before the effort and the traditional paella of chef Palouline.
Registrations are already going well.
There is no shortage of contenders to succeed Sébastien Pillon, winner of the Vélotoise in 2023. Last year’s winner will be at the start to defend his title, but he will have to deal with Nicolas Labarere from Oloronais, who is particularly well prepared; with Gérald Marot, French Master champion 2022. He will also have to be wary of Christophe Zennoni from Grammat or the young Jorys Lafragette from Viazacois and many others lying in wait to block his path.
La Vélotoise is also a partner of the Figeac volunteer blood donor association, which provides a large contingent of signallers. The need for volunteers and motorcyclists is still current.
Registration and information: Michel Palis. Tel: 06 85 13 44 33. Email: [email protected] Website: www.lavelotoise.fr/
On Wednesday evening, the president of the Vélo club figeacois, Claude Lopez, and the treasurer, Michel Palis, received partners, sponsors and volunteers at the clubhouse of the Marcel Costes stadium to present the outlines of the 24th edition of the Lot cyclosportive. Nathalie Faure, deputy for sport; Michel Layssiére, elected representative of Grand-Figeac; Monique Larroque, elected representative and president of the local blood donor association, were present.
Since you don’t change a winning team, the organizers have repeated the 4 circuits of the previous event, always popular with participants. For this sporting event on the FFC Cyclo Sport calendar, we will therefore find the 2 timed races, the Vélotoise with 124 km and 1930 m of elevation gain, the Figeacoise of 104 km and 1665 m, and the 2 hikes of 76 km for 1157 m and 32 km with 482 m of elevation gain. We can therefore see 4 complementary courses that highlight the territory of Limargue and Ségala. The competitors will cross some of the most beautiful villages and sites in the department, such as Carennac, Loubressac, Autoire or Lacapelle-Marival.
In his opening remarks, Claude Lopez recalled that “La Vélotoise is a timed endurance cyclosportive on a road open to traffic, which requires riders to respect the highway code. In a few figures, it is also a budget of €35,000, a budget held thanks to our partners and subsidies from the town of Figeac, Grand-Figeac, the department and the region. It is also 140 volunteers and the assurance for all, riders or volunteers, to be insured with the FFC. It is also an event open to the world of disability, as evidenced by the twenty or so affiliated riders that we have every year at the start of the event.”
Created in 2000 by Robert Auguié, then president of the Figeac-Saint-Céré Cycling Agreement, the Vélotoise brings together hundreds of volunteers, partners and local elected officials.
If there were less than a hundred competitors for the first edition, participation, for the last fifteen years, has regularly exceeded 600 competitors. Riders come mainly from the great South-West, but also from the four corners of France, Belgium and even England. The president of the cycling club was pleased to point out that it is one of the rare cyclosportives where the start and finish are in the city center, with a warm departure village to unite and welcome all the participants in the event with a breakfast before the effort and the traditional paella of chef Palouline.
Registrations are already going well.
There is no shortage of contenders to succeed Sébastien Pillon, winner of the Vélotoise in 2023. Last year’s winner will be at the start to defend his title, but he will have to deal with Nicolas Labarere from Oloronais, who is particularly well prepared; with Gérald Marot, French Master champion 2022. He will also have to be wary of Christophe Zennoni from Grammat or the young Jorys Lafragette from Viazacois and many others lying in wait to block his path.
La Vélotoise is also a partner of the Figeac volunteer blood donor association, which provides a large contingent of signallers. The need for volunteers and motorcyclists is still current.
Registration and information: Michel Palis. Tel: 06 85 13 44 33. Email: [email protected] Website: www.lavelotoise.fr/
