We’re delighted to have ridden the Duo Normand this year, the first since 2019. How did it compare to past events?
In 2003, we entered the Duo Normand for the first time (we’ve now ridden this event 17 times). This was something of a leap into the unknown, with an awkward entry process in those days of less sophisticated internet apps. Club mates had alerted us to the need to take our own safety pins to attach the paper numbers, and to the signing on taking place on the day before the race. In fact in the early days, one always wondered if the entry had gone through successfully! The event itself was always organised and managed on the day with great efficiency, with many marshals controlling traffic flow across junctions and on the course. The difference with our CTT events was pretty huge, and there was a real sense of occasion. And our own personal fear of falling off the start ramp!
In each successive year, entry became a bit easier, and esults more quickly released. By the time we finally took a victory (in the 2010 Corpo category), we were old hands at the Duo. In those days there must have been around 350 teams in the event ranging from Unlicenced to Professional, via Tandems and Handisport. A substantial number of riders made the journey across from the UK, mostly from the south of England (though we can recall a contingent from Ilkey in Yorkshire). On sign-on day the centre of Marigny was always full of excited cyclists looking ahead to the race. Many of these were from the UK, and we’d see familiar faces from the UK time trialling scene, making for an energised social scene.
Worsening exchange rates, particularly following the 2016 referendum, seemed to discourage UK riders, and the numbers of riders venturing across the channel to race started to decline. In 2016, there was a fatal accident near the finish, and as a consequence a new course was introduced in 2018. The 2019 event saw a further decline in UK participants. That year also saw our first ever mechanical problem at the Duo: a rear tyre blowout in the last and fast few hundred meters.
Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic saw the cancellation of the Duo Normand in 2020, and as it wasn’t back in 2021 or subsequent years, many of us thought that was the end for this wonderful event.
Fast forward to the summer of 2025, and word started circulating in UK time trialling circles that the Duo Normand would be back in 2025. We were rather excited and awaited further details. It was a while before entries opened, but open they did. Slow at first but as the event approached, the momentum built. There was also a new 40km course which turned out to be excellent. Despite mixed form, we entered the event and made the travel and accommodation arrangements for our 17th ride at the Duo Normand.
With 120 entries, the organisers held registration on the morning of the event, with the first team starting at 1pm. We were in the Masters category, starting at 1.50pm. While the number of teams was down on the pre-Covid events, the organisation required was pretty much the same as before. Every junction had marshalls, with gendarmes at the main road crossings. They were out there for hours in the rain, so all thanks to them. Nowadays entry is pretty slick via an online process, and this years event saw timing mats, with an RFID sensor strapped to the front forks - rider times were available pretty much instantly.
It’s safe to say that the Duo Normand has returned in great shape and with strong prospects for a return to larger and wider entry, particularly from overseas and from professional teams. I suspect the lower entry than in previous editions was mostly due to the late announcement that the event was going ahead.
After finishing, we were delighted to meet Adele, the organiser, and we chatted for a while about the event and how pleased we were to be back after a five year gap! Even the serious soaking we received out on the course couldn’t dampen our enthusiasm.
Hopefully drier weather in 2026?