USC 2025 ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN BORDEAUX: 200 GUESTS AND 3 MINISTERS FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL EVENT

 

Thursday 19 and Friday 20 June 2025, theUnion Sport & Cycle held its annual congress at the Musée Mer Marine in Bordeaux. The event brought together 200 guests, including three ministers - Nathalie Delattre (Minister Delegate for Tourism), Véronique Louwagie (Minister Delegate for Trade, Craft Trades, SMEs and the Social Economy) and Marie Barsacq (Minister for Sports, Youth and the Voluntary Sector) - as well as members of parliament, local elected representatives, the President of the CPME and the Vice-President of the MEDEF.

 

A FIRST REGIONAL DELEGATION FOR USC: USC-NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE 

The choice of Bordeaux for this year's event is not insignificant. It symbolizes the creation in early 2025 of USC's first regional delegation: USC-Nouvelle-Aquitaine (USC-NA).

Gregory de Radigues, President of USC, said:

"A special place that makes our first regional delegation official. Not by chance, but the fruit of a structuring partnership with EuroSIMA, which has been enriched and fleshed out over the years, and whose evolution towards a regional delegation was a matter of course."

Jean-Louis Rodrigues, in charge of steering and coordinating USC-NA and a member of the USC Board of Directors, explained:

"This delegation provides real proximity to businesses and brings 360-degree coverage of what sport and cycling can represent in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It will enable us to listen to the projects of economic players linked to USC's activities, who have local needs to develop."

Philippe Lafrique, Vice-President of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, welcomed the initiative and called for a "nurtured and structured working relationship".

 

STRATEGIC ISSUES FOR THE SPORT & CYCLE INDUSTRY AT THE HEART OF DISCUSSIONS

 

SPORT TOURISM

Nathalie Delattre, Minister Delegate for Tourism, highlighted the fact that 60% of French people plan to take part in one or more sporting activities during their vacations. She cited the development of bicycle tourism (21,500 km of cycle paths in France) as a powerful lever, and described sports tourism as "an opportunity for our regions". She also referred to the Alps 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games as "an opportunity for sustainable development".

 

TRADE, SMES AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

In response to Véronique Louwagie, the French Minister for Trade, Amir Reza-Tofighi, President of the CPME, spoke of the unfair competition from Asian platforms. He also spoke of the importance for USC of joining the CPME's COMEX.

 

SPORT, HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE AT WORK

Paola Fabiani, MEDEF vice-president, emphasized: "QWL (Quality of Life at Work) is a concern, and sport is a major issue: 71% of employees want more sport and health at work."

 

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: A TECHNOLOGY IN FULL INTEGRATION IN THE INDUSTRY

The Congress addressed the growing role of artificial intelligence in the sports and cycling ecosystem. A number of speakers presented concrete use cases, including :

• Inventory optimization
• Performance data analysis
• Enhanced customer experience in-store and online

The testimonials emphasized that these technological innovations are contributing to a profound transformation of the professions and services offered in the sector.

 

MOB'SPORT AND GRANDE RÉCUP' DU SPORT: TWO FLAGSHIP USC PROJECTS

The 2025 edition of the congress also highlighted two key initiatives:

• Mob'Sport: Encouraging a change in behavior towards low-carbon mobility in sport: this is the aim of the Mob'Sport program, presented on Friday afternoon as part of the Congress. Mob'Sport, the first CEE program in the sports sector, aims to raise awareness among spectators, sports and transport players, and local elected officials of the environmental impact of travel in amateur and professional sports, and at major international sporting events.
• La Grande Récup' du Sport: The Congress marked the launch of the second edition of La Grande Récup' du Sport. Organized with eco-organization Ecologic, La Grande Recup' du Sport involves professionals and private individuals in the collection of sports, cycling and leisure equipment. This nationwide event encourages people to donate their used sports equipment and give it a second life.

 

 

ECOSPORT AWARDS 2025: INNOVATION, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND COMMITMENT ON THE AGENDA

To round off the first day, the EcoSport Awards 2025 recognized the industry's most outstanding initiatives in the field of sustainable development. Over thirty entries were received this year. The awards were presented by Pauline Ado and Mathieu Crepel, both committed to environmental protection.

THE WINNERS : 

• STRUCTURE & LOCATION :
  Natural Grass / Aquaflow - water management technology inspired by groundwater / naturalgrass.com 
• ECO-DESIGN :
  Ellipse Impulse / MondoTrack - eco-designed athletics track for Paris 2024 / mondoworldwide.com
• CIRCULAR ECONOMY :
  Schwalbe - recycling inner tubes, 15 million produced / schwalbe.com
• COMMITTED PLAYER :
  Ski'R / Ski'N Surf - recovering 20,000 items of ski equipment a year through the social economy
• SPECIAL JURY PRIZE :
  SeaLocker - Anglet-based company specializing in durable nautical equipment / www.sealocker.fr

➤ To find out more about the projects: see the full press release

 

 

THE END OF 2025, 10 YEARS ON!

Congress 2025 was also the setting for the USC's Annual General Meeting, during which members adopted the moral and financial reports, and elected a new Board of Directors.

➤ Find out more about the Congress, AGM and Eco Sport Awards here

➤ S ee photos of the event here

As a reminder,Union Sport & Cycle is the leading trade association for the sport, cycle, leisure and active mobility industries. It federates over 1,400 companies, representing 500 brands, and acts to serve the economic, social and environmental interests of its members.

Rendezvous in 2026 for a very special edition of the USC Congress, which will celebrate 10 years of the Union Sport & Cycle: a symbolic anniversary, between retrospection, perspectives and collective celebration!