The centre of the UCI World Cycling Centre’s (WCC’s) velodrome was packed with students who, pens at the ready, received their dictation from the Director General of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Amina Lanaya.
It is just over 100 days until the Tour sets off from Aigle, passing two times in front of UCI WCC, which will be at the heart of the ninth stage. It has long since been announced that the stage of the Grand Boucle on 10 July will take the riders up the col des Mosses, the col de la Croix and the Pas de Morgins. The climbs are tough on the bike, but not that easy to spell either!
“Don’t worry, this doesn’t count towards your school marks,” Amina Lanaya assured them before starting the dictation. “The aim is to do your best and learn a few things about cycling and the magnificent Tour de France.”
Before the dictation, the UCI Director General explained to the participants that they were sitting within the headquarters of the Union Cycliste Internationale. She encouraged them to come to the UCI WCC with their families to visit the expositions, ride the pump track or have something to eat and drink in the restaurant.
The students also listened to a video message from Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme, who told them: “The Tour de France is a competition, but it’s also about geography and, in this case, spelling. We can learn everything with the Tour de France!” Created in 2017, the Dictée du Tour takes place in different host towns along the route of the three-week Tour de France, each text relating to the stage in question.
While dictation is not always a favourite with students, everyone in the Aigle event was rewarded for their efforts… with UCI-branded goodies, giveaways from the Tour de France, and refreshments in the UCI WCC restaurant.
“The Dictée du Tour is an original way to teach schoolchildren something about this major cycling event that will see the best male professional road cyclists in the world visit their hometown,” explained Amina Lanaya. “The UCI World Cycling Centre and its facilities are open to the local population, and it’s always a pleasure to see people of all ages having fun on our pumptrack, taking part in track initiations or visiting the exhibitions. With the Tour de France coming to Aigle, the local passion for cycling will be accentuated even further, and it was a pleasure for me to share some of the growing excitement with the town’s schoolchildren this morning.”
The 136-word dictation was followed by three bonus words: rayon (spoke), frein (brake), dérailleur (derailleur).
Then a final question for those in the know: What is the name of the Frenchman who is 2021 UCI World Champion?
(Easy! Julian Alaphilippe)