The Big Day

In accordance with the wishes of its President, the Hauts-de-Seine county council has decided that 2006 is a chance to renew “the county's commitment towards the extremely popular sport of cycling”. For the 5th time running, Hauts-de-Seine is partnering the first of the major stage races of the cycling season.

“Sport, for everyone, everywhere, all the time”
As a prelude and on the prologue course from Paris-Nice to Issy-les-Moulineaux, the Hauts-de-Seine county council, together with the county committee of cycling, are organising a bike ride for the young members of the Hauts-de-Seine club on Sunday 5th March. Over 4 kilometres long, this moderate level race is the chance for more than a hundred young people and their leaders to ride along the trails of the great champions.

Cycling and the Hauts-de-Seine region
The sport of cycling took off in the Hauts-de-Seine region long before it played host to the first Tour de France finish in the town of Avray in 1903. The Saint-Cloud parkland was the setting for the first race in history in 1868, coloured by the striking performance of Jacques Anquetil with his ACBB jersey (Boulogne-Billancourt Athletics Club); then came the golden age of velodromes and the legendary Vélo Club de Levallois (Levallois Cycle Club): sporting memories form part of the identity and heritage of the Hauts-de-Seine more than ever before.
Naturally, the Conseil général (regional authority)was present at the Centenary Tour de France Centenary meeting in 2003, was patron of the Prix de la Combativité (Combativity Prize) in 2004, and will play host to the start of the final stage of the Tour de France in Antony in the Parc de Sceaux, on Sunday 23rd July 2006.
The département (administrative region)has 23 clubs affiliated to the Fédération Française de Cyclisme (French Cycling Federation) and over a thousand members in various disciplines (road, track, cross-country cycling, mountain biking, BMX).
Cycling is also a sport that is practised free of cost by over 250,000 local young people each year during the school holidays, as part of the “Parcs en Sports” drive.

A cycle track project in Meudon
Part of the focus of the Hauts-de-Seine Conseil général is a 10km cycle track.
With work set to be completed prior to 2010, the route will favour two wheel transportation and may well become the département theatre for gatherings of all the cycle clubs and all those who enjoy cycling.