A fortieth anniversary without fireworks on the road.
The Tour de Normandie will not take place this year.
As in 2020, the epidemic is overcoming an ordeal which would have celebrated its 40th anniversary in March.
And as in 2020, the town of Monts d'Aunay, 35 km south-west of Caen, sees the start of a stage slip by under its nose.
"It was to be the first big event of the new town," sighs Carine Boone, manager of the Hôtel de la Place and president of the union of traders (UCIA).
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The community, created in 2017 around the city center of Aunay-sur-Odon, was to welcome, Friday March 27, the start of the fifth stage to Bagnoles-de-l'Orne (61).
The mayor, Christine Salmon, "expected it, given the situation".
“March was too early,” she said.
Then doing the Tour of Normandy behind closed doors, that didn't make much sense.
So we understand.
"
Understanding but disappointment at not seeing the 150 or so runners from all over the world setting off from Aunay-sur-Odon.
"We will not talk about the city," regrets Corine Boone, who hoped for this spotlight.
“With the other traders, we planned to decorate the windows for the occasion.
There must have been entertainment in the starting village.
"
Forty volunteers recruited
Well known on the Tour de France, the departure village contributes to the festivities around the race.
"The Tour of Normandy is sport but also an attraction", enthuses Arnaud Anquetil.
The organizing president is particularly keen on these events “which are part of the race.
For me, if there was no starting village, there was no Tour.
However, the epidemic made it impossible to organize festive gatherings.
In 2018, not far from there, Villers-Bocage hosted the start of a stage.
Christine Salmon remembers: “The city was happy.
The traders too.
Restaurateurs, bars, more generally the catering trade, work well on a day like that.
And the population is witnessing a rare event ”.
Between 500 and 700 people were expected in Aunay, according to Arnaud Anquetil's estimates.
Amélie Deschamps, a baker from the village, saw “a superb opportunity.
We didn't really know what to expect but we were very curious to experience it ”.
Next meeting in 2022?
The organization of the Tour had started to collect quotes.
Between ten and twenty volunteers and service providers would have been housed in Monts-d'Aunay.
They would also have eaten there.
The logistics of such a cycling race (which lasts for a week, through the five Normandy departments) trickle down to the local economy: "In 2019, the hotel budget amounted to 190,000 euros", specifies Arnaud Anquetil .
At the time of questions about a third confinement, the cancellation of the Tour of Normandy did not madly move the inhabitants, who were under no illusions about his outfit.
However, the enthusiasm was growing, as evidenced by the success of the search for local volunteers for the D-day: "We quickly found our forty volunteers", indicates Christine Salmon.
The Monts-d'Aunay will finally be very calm on March 27.
But the chosen one is determined "to keep her start of the stage".
That's good, the organizer intends to give the city a third chance in 2022, when the peloton, finally, will be able to get back on track on the Normandy roads.
