The funeral ceremony for the famous Gers cyclist who died last Tuesday at the age of 40 of a heart attack was held this Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. in the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Auch.
More than 900 people gathered this Monday afternoon at the Sainte-Marie d’Auch cathedral to pay a final tribute to Nicolas Portal, who died of an infarction last week, at the age of 40. The professional Ineos team, arriving at 12:30 p.m. at Auch-Gers airport aboard a Gulstream plane, was in full force, with the last two Tour de France winners, the Welshman Geraint Thomas and the Colombian Egan Bernal .
The plane carrying the Ineos team: Ineos manager David Brailsford and a large part of the riders, including Egan Bernal (winner of the Tour de France 2019) and Geraint Thomas (winner of the Tour de France 2018)
– DDM
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Colombian Egan Bernal
– DDM – Nedir Debbiche
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Two yellow Tour de France jerseys and a pink Giro jersey won by the Ineos riders under the direction of Nicolas Portal were placed around the Auscitain coffin. In the first rows, we note the presence of Christian Prudhomme, the director of the Tour de France and Pierre Caubin, president of the Route d’Occitanie – “La Dépêche du Midi”.
Two yellow jerseys of the Tour de France and a pink jersey of the Giro won by the riders of Ineos under the direction of Nicolas Portal were placed around the coffin of the Auscitain
– Camille Roudet / DDM
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Gers elected officials were present, including the mayor of Auch Christian Laprébende.
From left to right: the mayor Christian Laprébende, the president of the departmental council Philippe Martin, the senator Franck Montaugé and completely on the right the deputy Jean René Cazeneuve
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Nicolas Portal was then buried at 4 p.m. in Auch cemetery.
A civil tribute in the great hall of the Mouzon gymnasium
Since the announcement by the Dispatch and social networks of a civil tribute to Nicolas Portal after his funeral was celebrated, the City has had to change three rooms! It is finally in the large hall of the Mouzon gymnasium that hundreds of people converged from 4 pm for a tribute “festive, without fuss … of the Auscitans and Gersois as Nicolas would have liked and liked”, indicates the voice strangled by emotion Karine Sobinski.
On a stage sits a lectern; those who wish are invited to say a few words. On the boards of this great podium for a great cycling gentleman, 19 jerseys he wore: from those of the Auscitan club marked José Alvarez or Cycles Sobinski from his beginnings to the Sky and then Ineos teams.
It is finally in the great hall of the Mouzon gymnasium that hundreds of people converged from 4 p.m. for a civil tribute
– DDM – Serge Boulbes
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“He was a good guy. A humble and generous boy “
Jacques Brunel (ex-coach of the French rugby team) comes first to evoke the memory of Nico: “My partner, teacher, had him in his class for several years … I would like to mention his coming to the ‘France team that had struck the minds of the whole group. He was a wonderful boy. ”
Jacques Brunel, former coach of the French rugby team
– Serge Boulbes – DDM
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Michel Pérusin, responsible for the Lomagne VTT challenge events succeeds Jacques. “Michou”, as Nico called him, has trouble staying focused on his few lines: “The challenge is 20 years old and Nico was its sponsor, he who won the first version in 1999. Since then, he has come every year one, two, or three of the four tests. This year, he launched his son and his nephew into the competition. A handover … »
Michel remembers these two Tour de France, 2003 and 2007, where Nicolas insisted on stopping in Mauvezin to greet his friends and supporters: “The first time, he was with AG2R and Lance Armstrong had authorized him to take 3 4 minutes ahead of the peloton. A lady wanted to put a garland of Lomagne garlic around his neck … The second time, it was the other way around and he was running for the Savings Bank. This time, he had dropped the pack to kiss and clap our hands. He had only caught up with the pelot 40 km from the finish! “And Michel tossing a tear to the eye:” He was a good guy. A humble and generous boy ”. Words that come back in everyone’s mouth. Relatives, friends, fleeting meetings … anonymous. “A beautiful person, a quality man,” said businessman Dominique Bragato.
“We are friends of his mother Aline, say Claude and Ginette, a couple in their seventies. Solidarity and mutual aid were always in his mind. He always managed to free up a moment to respond to a request, give advice to a child or an adult. We were very proud of him! ”
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