The Pertús tunnel, which crosses the border between Spain and France under the Pyrenees, has become the first-class port that Renfe climbers had been preparing for months and which they have finally managed to crown. Crossing the border with passengers on board alone has been quite a challenge, overcoming the spikes in the wheels that the French organization threw at the Spanish cyclists. This puts an end to an infinity of bureaucratic impediments since the breakdown of the cooperation agreement between Renfe and its French counterpart, the SNCF, was consummated.
They managed to finish the first stage with Alberto Langarita and Jordi Gracia in first position, from start to finish. They are the engineers who were in the cabin of the inaugural train that this Thursday at noon arrived in Lyon with 240 passengers on board. These French engineers, just like the trains, have undergone months of training until they are enabled to circulate on the roads of the neighboring country.
The effort that this has entailed for them and for the company was reflected in the raised fist they raised when they crossed the Pertús tunnel, visibly moved by the significance of a moment shared with La Vanguardia and which Renfe considers historic, being the first time they operate alone outside of Spain.
As of July 14, this same train will connect Barcelona and Lyon every week from Friday to Monday. The next stage will be completed on July 28, when the route that goes to Marseille opens. The queen stage remains for next year. “We have a clear objective of internationalization, the Tour guides us and encourages us to reach Paris in 2024”, said the president of Renfe, Raül Blanco, surrounded by images of Miguel Induráin, Perico Delgado and other illustrious cycling figures. The first train that Renfe operates alone to France has been vinyled with color and black and white photographs related to the Tour and the Vuelta and has been given an eloquent title: “Queen stage, Paris objective”.
A whole declaration of intent of the company’s plans, which had already shown its intention to transport Spanish athletes who participate in the Olympic Games in the French capital next summer on Renfe trains. Still, it’s a slightly more understated message than the mocking ad campaign of the past three weeks, with ads in the press inviting travelers to hop on tickets to France to see if the whole country smells like croissants and if the inhabitants wear striped shirts. 43,000 tickets have already been sold for the coming weeks, 60% of them for international routes, and 40%, national ones.
Renfe’s strategy in the neighboring country is not leaving anything to chance. The release date is not trivial, the day before July 14, the French national holiday, was chosen with the clear intention of hurting the pride of the public company of the neighboring country that has done so much to prevent the circulation of trains of the rest of the countries through their channels, despite the European liberalization mandate.
All in all, most travelers have enjoyed the journey apart from any controversy. Couples, families, groups of friends of all ages and even train drivers on their day off shared seats on trains where Spanish, Catalan and French were heard interchangeably both on the public address system and among the passengers.
