The plume of dust as the runners passed did not scare them. At Pont Gibus, on the last paved sector from Hasnon to Wallers, several hundred people came to applaud the riders of the Tour de France, Wednesday July 6. While other mythical sectors of Paris-Roubaix such as the Carrefour de l’Arbre or the Trouée d’Arenberg were not on the route, spectators seized the opportunity to discover another legendary passage of the Hell of the North .
“The Pont Gibus? No, I didn’t know.” Like Alan, an Englishman who came by bike, some spectators of the fifth stage of the Tour de France do not know that they are next to one of the monuments of Paris-Roubaix on Wednesday afternoon. However, even if it does not enjoy the same fame as the neighboring Trouée d’Arenberg, this disused bridge is one of the essential passages of the famous northern race, and the association of Friends of the Gibus Bridge is present to recall his story. “With friends, we named this bridge in 1995, in honor of Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle, double winner of Paris-Roubaix in 1992 and 1993, who was our idol. And then it became legendary”says Christophe Leturgie, president of the association.
Decorated specially in the colors of the Tour de France, with the different distinctive jerseys represented, the place attracted a large audience of uninitiated people. Benjamin and Kathrin attend the show for the first time on site: “Cycling fan friends told us it was legendary, so there is also a little tourist side to come there. It’s the perfect mix between Paris-Roubaix and the Tour de France after all”.
Tadej Pogacar’s Belgian fan club is also present. The Slovenian, double winner of the Tour, has never participated in Paris-Roubaix, and his supporters are therefore discovering the cobblestone sector. “It’s a strategic place to see him pass. Five kilometers from the finish, the race can be decided here. We’ll see who will be the best, hoping that Tadej is well placed”explains Jeroen, one of the “Pogiboys”.
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More accustomed to the Gibus Bridge, and already installed in the same place during the last Hell of the North, Thomas is one of the rare French people among the spectators. “It’s a completely different audience, he observes. There are many more people and above all many more foreigners and Belgians. You can see it in the impressive number of motorhomes.”
While waiting for the riders to pass, the public warms up by applauding the many reckless cyclists who rub shoulders with the cobblestones of the sector, like Bernard: “We usually see it on TV, and there we have the impression of being in the myth, but much slower. Then on a mountain bike, it’s less difficult too”. And while some are sweating profusely to overcome the cobblestones, others prefer the garden armchair to comfortably follow the stage on television, like the Friends of Paris-Roubaix, lined up in large numbers around large tables for the barbecue.
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These volunteer fans of the Hell of the North take advantage of the race while they have been mobilized for several weeks to maintain sectors which are not currently used by cycle races. “There was work, with big potholes, ruts, missing cobblestones… We eliminated the biggest pitfalls. We work all year round to keep the course in good condition, so it’s a great reward for ‘to have had two Paris-Roubaix and a Tour de France in the space of nine months’says their president, François Doulcier.
“Roglic is released!”, “Van der Poel has a puncture!” After having followed the race on television or on smartphones, and as the runners approach, everyone gets excited and the places behind the barriers, in the front row, are popular. Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the race leader and then the peloton, with loud applause for each of the riders, down to the last, the Italian Gianni Moscon.
Camcorder in hand, Seeti, a young Finn, films everything to keep memories. During an Erasmus exchange in France, he fell in love with the Hell of the North on television and joined the Friends of Paris-Roubaix association, without ever attending. “It’s my first time here, and it’s like a big carnival. We Finns are much calmer, is he having fun. My face is covered in dust, but it was great.”
François Doulcier, the president of the association, draws the same conclusion. “It was a stage that kept all its promises, the big gaps allowed us to see a lot of riders, and we saw the yellow jersey very well”, he rejoices, proudly showing his snapshot of Wout van Aert on his smartphone. Many of the Belgian’s compatriots took to the road again at the end of the stage, in their motorhome. Direction Binche, to applaud their yellow jersey once again on the sixth stage on Thursday.