GAVIN Poupart was left flying the Parrot Print colours when representing the Central Region in the five-day Tour de La Manche stage race based around Cherbourg.
The county club had two riders under doctors orders, one finishing his final chemistry exams and the Dring brothers assisting mum and dad to ride from Lands End to John O'Groats for Cancer Research, only
This UCI-ranked event attracted a first class field of full time riders and Poupart and his colleagues were pushed into the deep end.
The race itself was still an eye-opener for the Brits including the Tour de France style village departs, the massive crowds and the presence of a number of trade teams with their massive support teams
Poupart was fine for the first two days but then his legs started to protest and he got slower each day.
Cross winds proved a problem with riders dropped from the bunch struggling to finish each day.
But common interest to finish saw these dropped riders get together and finish within the time limits.
Poupart was provisionally placed 70th overall from the 100 finishers but pleased to finish. With a sterling performance in Belgium followed by his French adventure, Poupart is getting himself noticed.
Ironically the race was won by a Middlesborough's Chris Newton riding for Great Britain but he was the first to admit that he could not have won without the support of both his National team and the Central team, who chased anything that moved.
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