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Dear Transe Gaule Veterans and friends,

We wish you a very happy new year and all the best for 2004. This Olympic
year will surely be a great one since, for the first time in the human
history, Olympic Games and Transe Gaule will take place together during 5
days… Yes ! The 28th Olympic Games will be hold in Athens – the most
aggressive and polluted capital in Europe – from August 13 to 29 (Athletics
from August 18 to 29) while 3rd Transe Gaule – more green than ever ! – will
cross France from August 25 to September 11. That means some of you will
have to choose between the noisy megapole and the countryside, between EPO
and BOLINO shoots...

Transe Gaule III registration is officially opened from January 2 but some
nervous runners already sent us entry forms and payment in the last months…
We consider we have now around 20 pre-registered runners, half of them
coming outside from France, with many Germans ready to follow the steps of
Rainer Koch and Karlheinz Kobus. Women participation is also interesting
with 3 German and 2 French ladies already registered.

Concerning those who will come back to visit Gaule Annick Le Moignic*, from
Rouen, will run after her second star while Jacques Martin**, from Nice, and
Daniel Muller**, from Narbonne, will come for catching a third one. Unlucky
Bernard Roy who dropped out in 2001 and 2002 is ready for a third start in
Roscoff and to get his first finisher tee-shirt. From the other side of the
Atlantic, U.S. boys Don Winkley** and Peter Bakwin* could also be back this
year.

Race numbers will be from 1 to 35, not more… They will be affected as
complete entry form arrive, from people having run less than 12 hours for
100 K or more than 150 K for 24-Hours in the last 4 years. So, if you plan
to participate this year, he could be important to send us a short mail to
make a reservation !

Same as you, we did not ONLY take rest in 2003. Last summer was very hot
here but we worked on Transe Gaule updating and we crossed France from north
to south a new time, looking for these country roads you like so much. Here
are modifications for Transe Gaule III :

- Altogether, 252 K will be modified (22% of full course) for a new total of
1162 K (instead of 1145 K) from Roscoff lighthouse to « Plage des Chalets »
at Gruissan, 10 km south of Narbonne-Plage.

- Longest stage will be number 12 (instead of number 2), which will be 77 K
(instead of 78 K) and will come the day after shortest one (number 11) which
will be 50 K (instead of 49 K).

- 4 end-of-stage towns changed, 14 others unchanged :
Stage 1 : PLOUNEVEZEL (instead of Huelgoat)
Stage 12 : MAURIAC (instead of Neuvic)
Stage 13 : AURILLAC (instead of Jussac)
Stage 18 : GRUISSAN-Plage (instead of Narbonne-Plage)

- Stage 13 across the département of Cantal, from Mauriac to Aurillac will
be 100% new, using a touristic road named « la Route des Crêtes » (Crest
Road) and will visit the famous medieval village of Salers. It will be a
very beautiful 66 K long stage, so we could rename it « Road 66 ». This
magnificent itinerary will be unforgettable, inside “Auvergne Volcanoes
National Park” [1].

- Remember these terrible 30 K in hell from Doué-la-Fontaine to Loudun, with
wild trucks trying to kill you ?… Forget it ! Only 4,5 K of this road will
still be used, the rest of it having been changed with quiet country roads
and even including a short trail section among wineyards.

- We will place water supply points every day at Km 15, 30 and then every 10
K until finish line, it means 4 to 6 aid stations daily. Of course, runners
will still be allowed to refuel at any time and any place and still can be
accompanied with a personnel vehicle and handler. But if alone, you will be
sure to find a minimum help every 15 or 10 K.

- Because of the managing of these aid stations and because we are waiting
for more runners than for the last two editions, Transe Gaule 2004 will not
be opened to handbikes nor wheelchairs [2].

- Entry fee = 999 Euros / 1199 USD. 10% discount if you already participated
once, 15% if you already participated twice.

That’s all folks ! Summer 2004 should be busy… All the best to all of you
and many thanks to those who still send us news from all over the (running)
world. We hope to see you soon « chez nous » in our Douce France or
somewhere else on some other beautiful roads… Au revoir.

Jean-Benoît & Christophe.

P.S. Please note Christophe new postal address, (JB did not change) :
Chr. Rochotte – 8, Place St-Exupéry – 21200 BEAUNE - France
J.-B. Jaouen – Kerlosquet – 29250 ST POL DE LEON - France


[1] Michel Dumont-St-Priest who is Luc’s father and knowing very well this
place is the one who suggested this new road to us. You will thank him for
it !
[2] Very sorry for all wheelchairs runners and a special sorry for Bernard
Grojean. We wish him to success in his TransAmerica dream this year. He and
Luc Dumont-St-Priest will try the astonishing Grand Chelem and unbelievable
hat-trick : Transe Gaule + Trans Europe + TransAmerica, these 3 races in
less than 2 years (exactly from Aug. 28, 2002 to Aug. 21, 2004 !). Ouahhh !
Casimir and Mélodie must be so happy to be back on holidays soon !