Affected by cancer or in remission, 30 cyclists will take to the road from Menton to Perpignan

From September 19 to October 3, 2026, a group made up of patients with cancer or in remission will cross six departments between Menton and Perpignan. Places remain available to join this sporting and human adventure, by bike or in logistical support.

Thirty patients with cancer or in remission will set off on a 715-kilometer challenge between Menton and Perpignan, from September 19 to October 3, 2026. Alongside the participants, caregivers, volunteers and a medical team will accompany each stage of this route organized over twelve days.

The start will be given in Menton before crossing the Alpes-Maritimes, Var, Bouches-du-Rhône, Hérault, Aude and Pyrénées-Orientales. The finish is scheduled in Perpignan after a route of 715 kilometers.

The objective goes far beyond sporting performance. This crossing aims to show that physical activity can support reconstruction after illness, while strengthening the bonds between patients, loved ones and healthcare professionals.

A call launched to patients and caregivers

The organizers are now opening registrations to new participants. Patients can join one or more stages of the route. Caregivers also have the opportunity to join the adventure, either on a bike or as part of the team responsible for logistical support.

For several months, future participants have been following collective preparation. Training sessions allow for building team spirit before the start scheduled for September. “From Menton to Perpignan, we are not just covering kilometers. We are telling a journey: that of women and men confronted with illness, but who refuse to be defined by it. The hills remind us of the ordeal of treatments. The fatigue, this body that must be learned to listen to again. The low points, these fears that sometimes surge without warning. But on the road, no one remains alone. When one weakens, the group slows down. A hand reaches out. And we move on,” explains Dr Stephen Ellis, oncologist and President of ICIC.

“‘Don’t give up’ is a deliberately provocative title. Behind these words, there is above all a tremendous desire to live: to regain confidence, to reclaim possession of one’s body, to maintain projects and to continue moving forward. Because healing does not only consist of fighting the disease. It is also helping everyone to preserve their dignity, their freedom, their energy and their desire for the future. I am proud of our participants, of everything they have already been through and what they are about to accomplish together. Here, there is no need to be a champion. You just need to want to take the start, give a first pedal stroke and move forward, together.”

The route will begin on September 19 in Menton with a first stage towards Golfe-Juan. The group will then reach notably Fréjus, Le Lavandou, Marseille, Palavas-les-Flots, Agde, Gruissan, Le Barcarès and Port-Argelès before ending in Perpignan on October 3.

Through this solidarity rally, the organizers also wish to raise public awareness of the role of supportive care and remind of the role of caregivers in the reconstruction journey of people affected by cancer.