From 19 April to 1 May 2016, Luxembourg will be holding the Festival Elsy Jacobs to celebrate the national treasure, who became the first ever women's Road Worls Champion in 1958.
"When you talk about Luxembourg female cycling, you talk about Elsy Jacobs," commented president of the Fédération du Sport Cycliste Luxembourgeois, Camille Dahm. Indeed, born on 5 March 1933 in Garnich, the road bicycle racer went on to carve a veritable niche for herself in cycling at a time when the sport was unforgiving to, and underappreciative of, women.
"If today it is still difficult for a female cyclist to make her living with the bike, it was almost unthinkable at the time," explained Luxembourg Minister of Sports, Romain Schneider. "And yet, a young girl from Garnich succeeded in living her dream and overcoming numerous obstacles that arose in front of her. Thanks to her plume and willpower to win, Elsy Jacobs was one of the most appreciated, and equally feared, racers in the league."
Her determination was however reportedly rivalled by her kind nature, with French cyclist and close friend of Elsy, Jeannette Augusto, stating: "She has a heart of gold, was generous, spontaneous".
The country will therefore be paying respect to its venerated cyclist through the professional female cycling competition Festival Elsy Jacobs, divided into three stages: a prologue in Luxembourg/Cessange on 30 April 2016; before the first leg in Steinfort the following day (106.90 km); followed by the second stage in Garnich on 1 May 2016 (111.10 km). The addition of the Steinfort stage represents a novelty for this year's edition, after the Mamer municipality, which usually hosts this phase, decided to host a men's race instead.
Twenty teams from Europe and further afield will be competing. Luxembourg's cyclists include Christine Majerus, competing for Dutch team Boels Dolmans Cycling Team; Chantal Hoffmann with Belgium's Lotto Soudal Ladies; Elise Maes for Austrian team Vitalogic Astrokalb Radunion NÖ; and Laurence Thill with De Sprinters Malderen of Belgium.
The race will result in changes made to City traffic:
- From 16:00 to 21:00 on Friday 29 April 2016, rue Tubis, country lane between rue Tubis and Kohlenberg, Kohlenberg between the country lane and rue Antoine, rue Antoine and rue de Cessange between rue Antoine and rue Verte will all be closed to traffic, apart from residents. Parking will be prohibited on both sides of the race circuit from 13:00 to 21:00.
- From 13:00 to 21:00, rue Saint Joseph will be closed to traffics and parking will be prohibited from 10:00 to 21:00. Parking will also be prohbited at place de Roedgen from 13:00 to 21:00.
- Certain stops of bus line 4 in the centre of Cessange will also be temporarily moved or not served.
Photo by Festival Elsy Jacobs
