The 25 business leaders participating in this challenge experienced extreme weather conditions. It is a very international group: in fact, six nations were represented with Monaco, Belgium, Great Britain, the USA, in addition to France.
After a few kilometers by the sea, the cyclists arrived at the foot of the Col de l’Ecre above Gourdon. This 14km climb, which represented the main difficulty of the day, turned out to be particularly challenging given the scorching heat that prevailed at the time (35°C). The various fountains in the area were appreciated by everyone!
After a rejuvenating picnic in Andon, the second part of the stage led the riders to the heart of the Verdon Gorge. At the exit of the gorge, part of the group then experienced “cycling hell” with a cataclysmic storm accompanied by hail, which saw the temperature drop by 20°C. Hypothermia did not spare a few riders who had to complete the stage in the support vehicles.
Despite all these weather-related incidents, all 25 riders arrived in Moustiers Sainte Marie, tired but happy to have completed the 155km with 2500m of positive elevation gain.
The second stage will lead the group from Moustiers to Mazan, passing by the Valensole plateau and the Luberon.
