Ariégeoise Race Report from a Long-Time Sportive Rider’s Perspective

The Ariégeoise is quite simply the main French cyclosportive in the Pyrenees, and this 2024 edition, with 4200 registrants, was no exception. Behind such lasting success over the years, there are necessarily high expectations from participants, which are met by the high level of services offered, at all levels. A look back at this year’s event through the eyes of Stanislas Richard, who returned to cyclosportive participation after nine years without pinning on a race number.

Text: 3bikes.fr – Photos: Tomas Montes / Ariégeoise, les Rouleurs de Mécaniques

Let’s go back to 2015 and Stanislas Richard’s last cyclosportive, his participation in the Haute Route Alpes Suisses – Dolomites, that famous seven-stage event, in this case between Geneva and Venice. Since then, at 50 years old, Stanislas no longer really wanted to pin on a race number. It must be said that he had been on the “circuit” since 2001, after a brief stint in triathlon (twice a finisher of the Embrun triathlon at the beginning of the 21st century). His palmarès includes an overall victory at the Arvan Villards in 2003, a second place at the Bourgui (a week later), as well as numerous overall Top Tens in many events from 2001 to 2003, before regularly placing on category podiums over the years. Then, in 2020, a serious fall left him with a complex femur fracture, broken into seven pieces. For two years, he focused on healing before gently resuming and then perfecting his physical condition over the kilometers and organized training camps, which allowed him to accumulate a large volume between two long professional periods for this osteopath who practiced his talents around Gap and now operates near Thonon.

Everything was in place for a great Ariégeoise, by Stanislas Richard

“After nine years without cyclosportives on one hand, and four years after my serious leg accident on the other, the desire gradually returned along with decent physical condition, even if I feel the weight of the years passing, not far from sixty. But above all, at the end of June 2024, the conditions were right: the Ariégeoise was scheduled at the end of a training camp organized by les Rouleurs de Mécaniques, I could have a priority race number, and Olivier Dulaurent, who writes for 3bikes.fr, had given me the “gift” of offering to be a luxury teammate to help me achieve the best possible performance on D-Day.

Before that, in addition to the passes on the Ariégeoise menu, during the camp we had been able to discover the charms of the Ariège roads: Péguère, Marmare, Agnes, Port de Lers, Beille, Route des Corniches, all climbs more or less known but all worth the effort to reach the summit, both for the physical challenge and for the landscapes.

It was therefore a superb week, enriching on all levels, both in terms of the atmosphere, which was both family-friendly and sporty, with just the right degree of difficulty. On this subject, I can only recommend doing a training camp the week leading up to a cyclosportive. Provided, of course, that you have a minimum of training (to recover better from day to day), the fact of chaining climbs and even long rides (about 5 hours with the Port de Pailhères) at D-2, the legs gain strength and the heart tends to “settle” to the benefit of a systematically lower heart rate than at the beginning of the week and consequently less breathlessness and… less fatigue. Without a doubt, the Ariégeoise in place of the 1st ride of the camp would have given a significantly less conclusive result.

Like all registrants for the long course (142 km, nearly 4000 m of elevation gain), I learned about the course modification, switching to the intermediate loop (115 km for nearly 3000 m of elevation gain) the day before while I was picking up my race number, due to very stormy weather forecast. Despite a relative disappointment (I wanted to confront the endurance needed to climb the Port de Pailhères at the end of the course before continuing to the Bonascre plateau), one must put oneself in the organizers’ shoes. Because if we wanted to give in to the urge to complain about this last-minute change, we would have been the first to find it abnormal to suffer the consequences of catastrophic weather at 2000 m altitude. I imagine that the recent fatal accident in an ultra-distance trail event in the Alps also contributed to the organizers’ increased caution.

As for the course, it’s nothing but climbing and descending without a break, apart from the first 20 kilometers which are almost flat, which were ultimately where I reached my maximum heart rate! An irony, as I was quite well hidden in the wheels, but I’m paying for my lack of strength with my light build and a deliberate choice to have a climbing bike (light, low-profile rims) rather than an aero machine.

Once the ascent of the Col de la Lauze began, it was a festival. The climbs towards Montségur, Croix des Morts, 7 frères, Chioula, and finally, Bonascre followed one another with very little flat, which is personally an advantage, even if you have to stay in the wheels on the faster sections. This is where the shortening of the course made itself felt in the overall intensity: if we had had to climb Pailhères, the overall effort management would have been different. Here, conversely, for a part of the peloton, it was “full gas on all climbs and we’ll see what’s left for the climb to Bonascre!” Mainly for this reason, and although I tried to do so, I couldn’t fully appreciate the beauty of the landscapes… but I had had more opportunity to do so during our preparation. Ariège is both beautiful and wild, two qualities I particularly appreciate coming from the Alps, whose most beautiful treasures are often much more frequented.

The descents are carried out in complete safety, and the quality of the organization (and its safety management) must be praised, as it signals the more complicated turns to negotiate, places numerous marshals at strategic locations – intersections obviously but not only – and prevents cars from coming up against the direction of the race on most of the ascents – I almost had the impression that this was the case for all ascents! In fact, I didn’t count the cars we saw on the course, but there really weren’t many over the entire route. This is where one understands why the Ariégeoise has become a real benchmark in the Pyrenees.

From my point of view, if I really had to find something to complain about, the only small drawback could come from the aid stations, which were certainly sufficient in number and regularly positioned, but perhaps too “rustic” and not “sporty” enough, meaning more oriented towards savory/fatty foods than carbohydrates, with few energy products for effort. But this is probably a personal assessment, because for many cyclists, as the hours accumulate, sweet foods are difficult to stomach.

To return to my race finish, the ascent to Bonascre was a bit of a “every man for himself,” with what little energy was left—which wasn’t much. But seeing the faces and speed of the other competitors, I wasn’t the only one in that state. But I also had to give my maximum to stick to the wheel of my guardian angel of the day and stay focused to give my all until the finish line. Regarding this last climb, what a pleasure again to ride in silence and safety, meaning without cars! This is a stark contrast to many Alpine cyclosportives that allow follow cars to “pollute” the effort of those finishing.

And then descending by cable car to Ax les Thermes, again a small pleasure that is rather rare and particularly appreciable, leaving the pleasure of having the road to oneself for all those who are climbing.

I therefore leave Tarascon sur Ariège completely won over by the Ariégeoise, with a rather nice jersey to boot!“

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