Toulouse. Stade Toulousain has big ambitions in cycling, here is a comment
By Anthony Assemat
Published on
the Toulouse stadiumit’s not just rugby, Toulouse. The Rouge et Noir have ambitions in other sports. Especially in cycling.
In parallel with the leisure section
The Stade Toulousain already has its leisure cycling section, directed by Jean-Louis Sainte-Livrade, with around sixty members. At the same time, the club is now going into youth competitions thanks to a rapprochement with the Pyrenees Performance Academybased on Saint-Girons (Ariege)which therefore becomes the Stade Toulousain Cyclisme Académie.
“We will bring together around fifteen young riders for this first year, divided between juniors (17-18 years old) and hopefuls (up to 22 years old). Our goal is to train young riders at the highest regional and international level from 2023,” explains Simon Lhuilier, the sports manager of the Stade Toulousain Cyclisme Académie.
A win-win relationship
In this merger, everyone is a win-win: the cycling club brings its skills, and the Stade Toulousain joins its international brand to attract young talents and investors or sponsors.
Simon Lhuilier’s objective is clear:
“Rise in power over the next five years and present a team of 100% hopefuls from 2024”.
The project is sporting but also academic. “Each young cyclist must have the baccalaureate and find a training or study course”, specifies the sports manager.
Two exceptional sponsors
This new academy is sponsored by two cyclists known in the pro world: Bruno Armirail, member of the Groupama-FDJ formation and originally from the Hautes-Pyrénées, and Pavel Sivakovwho started cycling in the Comminges.
A long-term professional team?
The juniors will participate in their first national race with the red and black jersey on February 25, 2023, in Villemur-sur-Tarn, in the north of Haute-Garonne. In the more distant future, Stade Toulousain’s appetite could come from eating… “The objective is to keep the riders locally to eventually create a professional Stade Toulousain team,” concluded the manager.
Stade Toulousain, an omnisports brand
The Stade Toulousain is not confined only to rugby. The exploits of Hugo Gaston (our photo) – and even of Benjamin Bonzi – in tennis, in recent months, have highlighted the red and black excellence in the matter.
But that’s not all. In the shadow of the giants of the oval ball, the red and black mark also applies to golf, athletics, swimming, fencing, martial arts, baseball, Basque pelota and disabled rugby.
More information on Stadetoulousain.fr
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