ROADSIGN, INTERVIEW DE E. DOUGE CHEF DE CARAVANE

INTERVIEW OF EMMANUELLE DOUGE, ROADSIGN CARAVAN LEADER

Before the departure of stage on ein Strasbourg, I had the opportunity to discuss with Emmanuelle who is the Roadsign Caravan leader. ROADSIGN as told by the caravan loadspeaker is the brand of a territory as big as the Australian country !

ROADSIGN ( www.roadsign.fr ) sells clothes and some body accessories like glasses, bags aso…

Emmanuelle, what is your role in the caravan ?

As leader I am responsible of the three vehicles and have a team of 8 people. I perform each morning the briefing (checking the road, listing and fixing the eventual issues, verifying the cars and sound player, making the repartition of samples, motivating the team…)

Are there many of them discovering the Tour ? What about you.

This is my third Tour. Last year I was already in the Roadsign caravan. We have some new people (50%).

2006 ROADSIGN Land Rover Defender is ready for the first stage. Photo: P. ORSINI

 Do you have an idea of the impact for Roadsign being in the caravan based on last year experience ?

Not really, last year the caravan was making the promotion of South Australia Tourism and of Roadsign. For some people it was not very clear. I think the brand is happy as they decided to continue this year.

 
2005 ROADSIGN and South Australia tourism center caravan arrives in Montargis. Photo: P. ORSINI

 Was it a dream to be part of the caravan ?

Well, I have practiced cycling but not good enough to be a pro. I have always been interested in cycling and the caravan is a way to be on the Tour. It is quite an easy way to enter in the family. It is also easier to integrate because you’re on the Tour only one month and you can have other activities the rest of the year.

Do the doping affairs have a negative impact on the advertising caravan ?

The problem of the race have nothing to do with us. The caravan is for people an entertainment a 1 hour festivity and people don’t make any mix with affairs.

With your experience did you ever have any trouble with spectators ?

Myself, no. I know it already happen that some people were aggressive. We pass in front of 15 millions of people. So it is a large sample of population. Some may have overflowing enthusiasm !

IT’S TIME TO GO NOW ! If you see a wallaby on the Tour de France Road, Emmanuelle and Roadsign team should not be very far !

Land Rover Freelander. Is Roadsign going to promote the yellow Jersey in the next years ? Photo : P. ORSINI

For more information on Roadsign and if you want to play a game for the Tour, please visit www.roadsign.fr