Cyclo-cross: Erwann Boure wins the 2024 Gardois Challenge

Narbonne's Erwann Boure, always placed, never a winner but enough to be crowned. MIDI LIBRE – JERÔME MORIN

Salindroise Gabriella Goudard distinguished herself at home. Before returning to mountain biking. MIDI LIBRE – JERÔME MORIN

Even though he is not a cyclo specialist, Lucas Chanut made his qualities as a backpacker prevail. MIDI LIBRE – JERÔME MORIN

On Sunday, December 15, in Salindres, the final round of the 2024 Gard Cyclo-cross Challenge took place, an event in which Erwann Boure from Narbonne proved to be the most consistent.

Sunday, in Salindres, it was a bit like a dress rehearsal before the big day. This other Sunday, December 22, was the date of the regional cyclo-cross championships, organized in Vauvert.

Before looking ahead to Occitanie, the department's riders had a meeting in the Cévennes, for the 4th and final round, the final, of the 2024 Gardois Challenge, hosted by the Vélo club Salindres – Saint-Privat.

Boure, 2nd overall in 2023

While the Gardois riders were able to test their legs, the Audois riders Erwann Boure (Vélo sprint narbonnais) was also able to see that the rods responded well.“A week before the Regional, it shows that the preparation was good, explained the 23-year-old senior. Last year, I came to have fun on the Challenge and I came 2nd in the general classification. I saw that there was a way.''

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There was so much room that Boure, this year, occupied the top of the podium in the general classification of this Challenge, winning ahead of the two residents of VC Mont-Aigoual pays viganais, Nathan Duhaut and Jean-Marc Deltell.

''I came 7th in Uzès, 10th in Nîmes, 9th in Vacquerolles and 2nd in Salindres, he explained. By participating in all the rounds, this allowed me to win the Challenge.'' In addition to preparing well for the Vauvert event, ''where I would like to make the top 15'', he aims.

Lucas Chanut, winner “on the pedals” in Salindres

In Salindres, Boure, like the six others entered in this 50-minute race (8 laps of 2.5 km) nevertheless suffered the law of Lucas Chanut (Union cycliste Pélussin). Let the Gardois rest assured: the Loire native Chanut will not be in Vauvert, not concerned by the Regional.

And then, cyclo-cross is not the favorite discipline of this backpacker either, who will evolve in DN2 in 2025: ''There, it's okay that it was a course that suited me but, in reality, if there are too many boards… Today, I was able to compensate on the climbs, on the pedals, the time that I lost on the bends, because technique is not my strong point.''

For Salindroise Gabriella Goudard, victory before the holidays

This track and paths of the Tour Bécamel, the junior Gabriella Goudard, 16 years old, knows them like the back of her hand. Sunday, the Salindroise rode and won at home, in front of her grandparents. ''I am very happy to have won here, noted the VCSSP resident, 4th in the Nîmes round. My goal is mountain biking; cyclo-cross is more for fun. It was the second cyclo-cross race of my life.''

Will the third be for Vauvert ? ''No, no, I'm going on vacation'', she finished, with a smile.