Interview with Helen Phillips, Vice President of Team Sud Vélo - Ne Jetez Plus

• Hello Helen, to begin with, can you tell us about your Club Sud Vélo – Don't Throw Away? 

Our members are called Sudamis, I think that makes it easy to understand the spirit that drives us. 

The essence of a Sudami is to love cycling in all its forms. To appreciate local outings in our beloved Cévennes as much as further in the Alps or the Pyrenees. To be attentive and concerned about environmental issues. And above all to function as a group of friends, almost a family with men and women, young and old. Since my arrival in the Team in 2009, I have not stopped seeing the increase in the number of women who ride. There were very few of them a few years ago and now you see women riding everywhere. In our club it has always been mixed and I hope to achieve parity soon in the club and on the bike in general.

The club is a good reflection of the city of Montpellier and the region since I am British, our webmaster Robert Anderson is American, the president David Ducros is from Nîmes and we have French, English, American and German members. We are a very international club with a real nice mix of cultures brought together by the love of cycling.

On the sports side, we organize outings every weekend (Saturday and Sunday) mainly departing from Montpellier and organized with groups of different levels. We are also committed to regional, national and even international events: cyclosportives, patents or excursions.

• How has the season been for the club?

Great , we rode a bike!!!

In February, we were in Spain for our sea and mountain side course, a treat. Throughout the season, in addition to our weekly outings, Sudamis have taken part in La haute route Pyrénées, L'Étape de Tour, the GF Mont Ventoux and lots of great cyclists.

In April, we organized for the first time “La Rando des Lasagnes”, a hike with two routes in the sublime Lavagne valley starting from Saint-Mathieu-de-Treviers.

• And how does next season look?

Very good, we're going cycling!!!

We're off again for a busy and sublime program, with the outings of the Saturday and Sunday, the course in Spain, more weekends in the mountains, cycling (as far as I'm concerned, it will be La Haute Route Alpes at the end of August), the organization of La Royale Camarguaise in March and La Rando des Lavagnes in April. What happiness, come many!!

• How to follow the news of the club?

You can follow us on the websiteteamsudvelo.com, son Facebook (Team Sud Vélo Ne Throw More!) and Instagram(@teamsudvelo).

• A message for the RÊVE DE VÉLOcommunity?

Interview conducted in October 2022