Cycling made its way into the classrooms, temporarily set up at the heart of the UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) in Aigle, Switzerland, on Friday 27 March. Nearly 300 pupils from schools in the Swiss town took part in the Dictée du Tour (Dictation of the Tour), an event now firmly established in towns and cities associated with the Tour de France.
Pupils set aside their usual Friday morning routine to focus on an exercise that was a little out of the ordinary, and in a setting entirely linked to the dictation. The Director General of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), Amina Lanaya dictated a text inspired by current cycling news, against the backdrop of the Grand Départ of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, which will kick off outside French territory, in Switzerland. Following the first stage on 1 August in Lausanne, on the shores of Lake Geneva, the second stage will link Aigle to Geneva, lending a special resonance to this dictation for the participating pupils.
Created in 2017, the Dictée du Tour accompanies each edition of the race in its host towns and cities. Hosts of a stage start or finish are invited to organise this educational event, designed to introduce young people to cycling in a different way. Aigle, as the start town for the second stage, is fully committed to this initiative, all the more so as it is home to the headquarters of the UCI and its training and education centre, the UCI WCC.
As the dictation got under way, silence fell, punctuated by a few focused glances and the sound of pens scratching away. But the atmosphere remained deliberately light-hearted.
Beyond the exercise, the morning immersed the pupils in an iconic venue of world cycling, where athletes from all corners of the globe train all year round: a tangible way of creating a link between the students’ daily lives and an international sporting event.
The challenge wasn’t just to hand in a flawless dictation: the three best pupils were offered the chance to go behind the scenes at a stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, either at the start or the finish. An experience that promises to leave a lasting impression!
After the dictation – an exercise that can be daunting for some – the pupils from various schools were able to refuel at the Vélodrome restaurant, where snacks specially prepared for the occasion awaited them.
“It’s a different way of talking to pupils about cycling, and getting them directly involved,” says Amina Lanaya. “Through this dictation, they learn about an event that’s taking place near their homes, which makes it much more tangible. The idea is also to make them want to come and watch the race this summer, get on a bike and embrace the sport. Welcoming them here, at the UCI World Cycling Centre, allows them to discover a venue open to the public, where they can come back to have fun on their bikes, make use of the facilities and simply enjoy themselves. Seeing their curiosity and enthusiasm today shows just how much this kind of initiative can create a lasting connection with cycling.”
The dictation, comprising 112 words, was followed by three bonus words: casque (helmet), frein (brake) and cycliste (cyclist).
Then a final question: Which French rider won the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift?
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, of course!