History
The history of the Pascal Richard's race becoming the Gruyère Cycling Tour
The adventure of this traditional cycling appointment started with some passionate people of cycling in 1996. The purpose was the 75th anniversary of the local club La Pédale Bulloise. They organized then their first race called Classic du 75ème anniversaire.
The idea was to offer to the participants the possibility to discover the gorgeous Gruyère landscapes and for the organizers it was an opportunity to show their vocation for a formative club for young cyclists.
The same year, the Tour de France passed through Bulle, taking the same roads, during the run its finish was juged in Fribourg.
This first edition, with over 500 riders, was a success. It encourages the committee, directed by M. Thierry Moret, to repeat the experience the following year.
For the second edition, the duet Thierry Moret and Jean-Pierre Frossard, supported by a motivated committee and by benevolents from all over the region, decided to have a great impact by inviting a famous champion.
Famous rider, Cyclocross world champion, winner of famous races, new olympic champion, the thinkings were quickly directed to Pascal Richard, the rider who comes from Aigle. The challenge now was to convince him to be associated to this crazy adventure.
It was in Geneva that Thierry and Jean-Pierre met Pascal Richard and presented him their project to create La Classic Pascal Richard. This popular cycling intended to each passionate of cycling had the goal to promote the cycling, our beautiful region and to pay tribute to the great champion.
During this meeting, our two organizers not only dicover a great champion, but also a sensitive person, open and ready to have confidence in this team who presented him a real project and parteners. Pascal Richard was immediately seduced. He accepted to give his name to the race for free. Nice attitude from a great champion to promote his sport.
We'll never forget the good time shared between the champion and the cyclist amateurs. Everyone sharing with the organizers the same pleasure, the same philosophy and the same passion for the cycling.
The partnership with Pascal Richard lasted until 2006. From 2007 on, the event was renamed and now is called Le Gruyère Cycling Tour.
This adventure quickly had to have supports from a lot of sponsors, so this important event could take place in the best conditions and with an optimum security. A very big thanks to everyone who, by their support, allow this race to exist.
In 2005, our race took part into the Challenge UCI - Golden Bike which gather together the nine best cycling amateur races of the world! Our one was the unique race organized in Switzerland, the other races were in South Africa, in New Zealand, in Spain, in Holland, in Belgium, in Italy and in France.
From 2008 on, the Gruyère Cycling Tour also joined the Swiss Cycling Top Tour which gather together the main national races.
400 benevolents, 100 bikers, 20 official cars are engaged year by year to make this cycling event unforgettable.
In 2008, you were 1600 riders at the start on Sunday morning and over 2000 for the whole event.
Among them, we had the great pleasure to welcome Fabian Cancellara. It was his first competition after his exploits at the Olympic Games of Pekin, from which he came back with the world champion title and two medals.
