L'ÉTAPE DU TOUR - PAU > HAUTACAM - 169 KM - Dimanche 6 juillet 2008

Press release

Issy-les-Moulineaux, 22^nd of May 2008

L’ETAPE DU TOUR MONDOVELO: TAKING ON HAUTACAM

The same rule will apply for the 2008 edition. Whether it concerns the 3500 places kept for the international riders or the 5500 for the nationals, full registration has been reached as soon as the month of February. If the competitors have been so numerous it is also due to the characteristic of the chosen stage between Pau and Hautacam that the amateur cyclists will have the privilege to open on the 6th of July. Three Grande premieres will be on the race program:

• The arrival at the top of the Hautacam climb.
• The neutralisation of a downhill lane with over 60 members of the organisation on site to allow the riders to leave in total security after having finished.
• The organisation of a village that will be a lot bigger during the two days before the start on the site of the Pau hippodrome.

The taste for performance has pushed many sportsmen from different horizons to jump on their bikes and test themselves during the Etape du Tour. Among them, the four-time F1 World champion, Alain Prost, faithful to the race since its first hours will be back on the event, as well as driver Paul Belmondo. New high level athletes have decided to give it a go this year; indeed the organising team of the Etape has received registration files from the Downhill Olympic champion in alpine skiing Antoine Dénériaz, from former tennis player Guillaume Raoux, from basketball player Valéry Demory, from former rugby internationals Patrice Lagisquet and Philippe Dintrans, from track cyclist Marion Clignet, and the world record holder in static deep water diving Stéphane Mifsud.

Download the press release (.pdf)

Download the press release - 10/25/2007 (.pdf)