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Bordeaux, France.   The first leg of the cycle-tourism trip from Bordeaux-Bilbao 2014, organized by the Bordeaux Basque club in collaboration with the Stade Bordelais (Bordeaux), BeraBera (Donostia) and Urgozo Txirrindulari Taldea (Bilbao) kicked off yesterday.  The race left the Pey-Berland Plaza, in the morning with 180 participants anxious to get started and to complete the first leg to Leon, some 150kms.

The kick off was also attended by representatives of the participating entities and collaborators: Guy Accoceberry from the Bordeaux Town Hall: Marc Moulin and Matthieu Hazouard, from l'Eurorégion Aquitaine-Euskadi and Aquitaine: Florence Lamarque, representing the deputy V. Feltesse: Gilles Lavandier, from the French Federation of Cycle-Tourism and Juan-Antonio Alcocer, from Kutxabank, as well as Fabrice Labarbe, director of the  Stade Bordelais-ASPTT and David Mugica, Bordeaux Basque club president.

[Participants at the starting line, anxious to get started on their trip (photoBordeauxEE)]

[David Mugica, club president, addressing participants at the starting line (photoBordeauxEE)]

The starting gun was an irrintzi and the cyclists took off.  Three hours later they arrived in Commensacq (82 kms) for provisions and where they were welcomed at the town’s community building where they could eat and regain their strength, while being entertained by the Gabatxo Txaranga.

Next was the second half of the leg to Leon, where they first cyclists arrived mid-afternoon.  The end of the leg was at 7pm, with time to relax and talk about the day, and landscapes with new friends and have dinner, again with the wonderful ambience of the txaranga.  The 180 racers were lodged in bungalows at the “Village sous les pins” their starting point tomorrow when they will cover the second leg 130 kms between Leon-Donostia.

-More information and photos of each leg on the Basque club’s Facebook page