Five-time Tour De France winner Bernard Hinault is in town for Cycle Zydeco, Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole Cycling Festival.
Hinault is the first "Captaitaine de Cycle Zydeco" for the event, which runs through Sunday.
Hinault is a retired French professional cyclist with numerous accolades including five Tour de France victories. He is one of only six cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and one of two cyclists to have won each more than once. Hinault, who is from Brittany, France, is riding Cycle Zydeco to foster relations between Lafayette and Brittany while also raising funds and awareness for Souffles d’Espoir Contre le Cancer, a charity he supports. Through the sport of cycling and relationships with cyclists, this organization collects donations to benefit the fight against cancer.
Today, Hinault was at City Hall for a welcome from city officials. At 3:30 p.m. today, he will be at the Vermilionville Performance Center for a Q&A Presentation, followed by a jersey and poster signing during dance lessons for cyclists.
"Of course the main goal is to be here and do the bicycle and do the event, but the other one is also to raise some money for the organization that is fighting cancer in Brittany, Souffles d’Espoir, and at the end of that sharing the result with the whole world," Hinault told KATC through an interpreter.
The ride starts tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. at Vermilionville.
Cycle Zydeco organizers bill it as the largest bicycle tour in Louisiana and a premier touring ride in the U.S. The ride travels through Acadiana and celebrates the Cajun and Creole culture of the area. Cycle Zydeco has been a key supporter of many local organizations over the years, including TRAIL (a non-profit dedicated to creating better outdoor recreation in Louisiana) and various academic and civic organizations. Cycle Zydeco is adding Souffles d’Espoir to its list of beneficiaries.
For details on the event and the organization, click here.
