After four years of preparation and hundreds of working meetings, the 400 volunteers of the Federal Week of Cycling Tourism, on Friday and Saturday, welcomed the 5,500 participants of this 84e edition which takes place in the heart of the city of Pont-à-Mousson. In addition, a thousand volunteers are distributed at the reception points over the seven days of the event and the various routes.
Federal week produces an avalanche of figures that sometimes make you dizzy. Like the oldest registrant that has 92 springs on the watch. The average age was calculated to be 75 years. The registrations show 5,500 participants, but only 4,715 will ride the bike, of which 1,287 are equipped with electric assistance. Each day they will be able to choose between four circuits from 50 to 150 km, which will take them on the roads of Lorraine. They will mostly be accommodated in three temporary campsites set up in Pont-à-Mousson. They offer 2,600 places as well as toilets and showers. Around 700 people chose residential accommodation and around 100 chose collective accommodation in dormitories. The rest chose hotels, lodges or bed and breakfasts in the area.
1,000 meals a day
As for the catering part installed in the federal village (usually a sports center), 1,000 meals can be served every day via a spinal catering company. Volunteers will take care of the bar. “For example, we have 450 barrels of beer and 80 barrels of cider per week,” explains Jean-Paul Mafféis, head of the beverage division. “We’re in the bath, we can’t go back”, he smiles. A refreshment bar is also in place at each campsite in the city.
For those who don’t want to get on a bike, tours of Lorraine’s heritage are planned throughout the week, as well as a shuttle bus that will take the curious to the Mondial Air Ballons site. A program is also planned for young people aged 10 to 16, who will go on bike rides in the morning and enjoy activities and excursions in the afternoon. Finally, 139 participants chose to turn to mountain bike routes.
“It has been gone for ten days. We welcome 5,500 participants, and although the number is low, this will give more fluidity and ease”, positive Olivier Sinot, chairman of the organizing committee of the federal week. In 2024, the city of Roanne will host, its stand in the exhibitor village is already raising a lot of curiosity.
