Sportsman Franck Delorme embarks on a bike tour of Lozère to help hospitalized children

Franck Delorme espère donner de la visibilité à l’association Du soleil en pédiatrie grâce à ce défi. DR

Le Floracois de 39 ans se lance ce lundi 17 juin 2024 sur un parcours de 490 km et 10 000 m de dénivelé positif, qu’il espère boucler en quarante heures !

Touring Lozère by bike in forty hours is the challenge that Franck Delorme took on. He will use his gravel bike, a bike designed for both road and trail riding. Normally, the route he takes is planned in eight days. His departure is scheduled for this Monday, June 17, 2024 at dawn. "I want to leave early in the morning to arrive late in the afternoon the next day& quot;, he explains.

The Floracois, sometimes considered "a little crazy" by those close to him, will use his madness to good effect. He will cover the 490 km, of which 85% is path, and the approximately 10,000 meters of positive altitude difference for the benefit of the Du Soleil en Pédiatrie association, which finances projects for children hospitalized in Mende. "The tour of Lozère for the noble cause", he exclaims.

For the association Du soleil en paediatrics

Charlotte Garcia, the president of the association, launched an online prize pool open to all types of donors, individuals or businesses. "Basically, it was a personal challenge but a work colleague told me about the association and I decided to join it. rsquo;associate with my adventure to raise funds", continues the native of Alès. This extraordinary sporting project indeed gives visibility to the cause. "I’I'm lucky enough to be able to play sports, it’s the school of life. There are values ​​of mutual aid, of cohesion, and I think that it is up to people in good shape to come forward for people in need."

The 39-year-old man has acquired this fiber of mutual aid and dedication over many years. First a professional firefighter for fifteen years in Savoie, he finally joined the Samu de la Lozère after returning to his town, Florac. In his free time, Franck Delorme enjoys his family and is active in local associations: climbing club, Telethon, Zinzin Ultratrail… without forgetting a very regular practice of cycling. "I have a completely normal lifestyle, I don't pay particular attention to my diet and I am a good-natured person, he smiled. Sport must remain a pleasure, not a constraint." And he can count on Éva, his partner and Énéa and Émy, his daughters , to help him surpass himself.

"It’is a real trip"

This tour of the department will allow him to discover places that he has never explored, or very little. " It’s a real trip, I know the south of Lozère well up to La Canourgue, but not at all Aubrac." After leaving Florac, it will reach Barre-des-Cévennes, then Mont Aigoual before reaching La Canourgue. In this town, Place Jeanne-d’Arc, around 6:15 p.m., he will be joined by members of the Cyclos du Malpas who will accompany him for a few kilometers to support him before the night. On this occasion, the La Canourgue bakery installed a ballot box where people can make a donation for the Du Soleil en Pédiatrie association.

After these moments of sharing, Franck Delorme will leave in the direction of Nasbinals, Saint-Chély-d’Apcher then will head eastwards, to Langogne before going back down to Villefort . "Between Villefort and Mas de la Barque, there is the infernal climb, he smiles. I didn't want to track her so as not to get demoralized. I will probably take a little nap at the bottom, before starting this climb." This will in any case be the last big effort before reaching Florac. "This is the first time I'm going to do such a long distance", specifies the one who made a round trip in twenty hours to Mont Ventoux (410 km; 4 500 D +), as training he three weeks ago, before his tour of Lozère.

Franck Delorme hopes to succeed in this challenge in complete autonomy. As a security measure, he can nevertheless count on his brother-in-law in case of problems. "He will be on-call, he jokes. I gave him a spare tire and what I can't take on my bike."

He knows it, the second part of the course will be played out in the head. "The first half is the physical ; the second, it's almost all mental." And there is no doubt that if he is in difficulty, he will think of these hospitalized children who will give you the strength to go to the end.

To make an online donation, go to the leetchi fundraiser "The tour of Lozère for the noble cause", open until September 30, 2024. A tax deduction is possible, it To do this, you need to contact the Du Soleil en Pédiatrie association. I subscribe to read more