How Not to Run a Cycling Race

Shock!  Horror!  Unheard of!  Today we could be found (a) watching day time television and (b) it was a cycling programme.

Today’s daytime TV.

The Tour de France, to be exact.  Normally we only display an interest in this or any other cycling event if it passes our front door: as it did twice when we lived in France, and once, in 2014, when memorably, the Tour began in Yorkshire.

The Tour de France goes through Laroque, 2012

Today however, stage 15 of this year’s Tour took place in the area we called home, the Ariège.  We had to watch.  The struggles of the cyclists passed us by as we grew nostalgic, even damp-eyed as familiar roads, familiar landscapes appeared on screen.

Foix: today’s almost-finishing point.

But as I watched, I was reminded of an incident that took place in Laroque, back in 2012.

Every year, just before the Tour, another cycling race takes place in the Ariège: L’Ariégeoise.  It’s divided into three levels of difficulty: the Ariégeoise itself (160 km,3,500 m. of climbing), the Mountagnole (118 km, 2,500 m. of climbing) and for wimps, the Passejade, a mere 68 km, and 750 m. of climbing.

That year, the route passed our way.  That year, the routes of the two main races parted company in Laroque.  And that year, there were no signs to say so….  and nor were there special marshalls for the Mountagnards.

The unsuspecting riders arrive at the parting of the ways….

As the riders arrived at the crossroads in town , they didn’t know where to go.  Ariégeoises  followed Mountagnards.  Mountagnards followed Ariégeoises.  It was hopeless.  Riders tried to turn round, collided with those behind them, swore, and swore again as they saw their hard-won perfect timings being swallowed up in the chaos.  With extraordinary presence of mind, I shot some video footage.

 

I heard later that following the event, the race organisers used my little clip for  training purposes, to demonstrate How Not To Organise a Cycling Event.  I’m guessing it’s part of every year’s Tour de France training too.  That’s why it always runs so smoothly.

You can read all about it here.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

36 thoughts on “How Not to Run a Cycling Race”

  2. I watched it too! Foix and its castle looked amazing – brought back happy memories of our holiday down there!

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  3. Is there no end to your talents? Now I learn you’re responsible for a training module of the must-have course on cycle race organising. Goodness me! I’m so impressed, and think it’s absolutely your duty to watch cycling on daytime tv to see that organising standards are being maintained as well as check out that Laroque stands where it did…

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    1. Sadly, no Laroque today. But lots of neighbouring haunts. And I didn’t understand a WORD of the commentary. Which was in English. Allegedly.

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  5. Wasn’t quite as bad as the only time I went to watch the Tour de France. This was 1998, during the height of the doping scandal. No matter, the whole village had turned out to watch stage 17, and it was quite a picnic. My office had taken the day off, and I’d gone along. We saw the contestants in protest against police raids and alleged mistreatments walking slowly past, holding their bikes. It was a nice day, and we spent the rest of the afternoon finishing the wine and food. I think that was the only time I had a few Frenchmen agree that a game of cricket would have been more interesting.

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    1. Oh the French are so good at bringing wine and food into everything. Also in their favour (dare I say this?) they don’t play cricket…..

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  10. It is always so much fun to see a place on TV where you live or have lived, isn’t it? Like some idiot I always try to see if there is anyone I know! LOL. Some hope…..but you never know.

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  11. What a mess that race was! That one guy, standing in the middle and hollering, wasn’t enough! And, you, in the right place at the right time with a camera–your clip would be perfect for training purposes.

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  12. How funny! 🙂 🙂 And yes, I can understand your watching it, Margaret. Dad used to regularly watch if there was cycling in Poland in an area he thought he might recognise.

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