page_title: Mende, Lozère
section_title: Sporting events
hierarchical_section_title: Mende, Lozère / Population and society / Sports / Sporting events
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: L'arrivée de Julien Bérard lors de la 2e étape du Tour du Gévaudan 2008
context_page_description: Mende is a commune and prefecture of the department of Lozère and of the region of Occitanie in southern France. Its inhabitants are called the Mendois. The city, including the first traces of dwellings date back to 200 BC, was originally named Mimata, probably in reference to the mountains that surround it.
  Mende is located between Clermont-Ferrand and Montpellier, but also on the axis of Lyon - Saint-Étienne - Albi - Toulouse. The other important nearby towns are Aurillac and Saint-Flour, Le Puy-en-Velay, Rodez, Millau and Alès and Nîmes.
  Even though Mende remains a relatively sparsely populated city, it remains the most important of the Lozère Department. In addition, it is the city-centre of the unique urban area of this department.
  It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mende.
context_section_description: Each year, the Trèfle Lozérien, an enduro competition, centres its course on the city of Mende. This race is part of the most renowned of the enduro season and allows, in addition, mixing professional and amateur riders.
  One month later (July), the city centre is dedicated to foot racing and the arrival of Marvejols-Mende half marathon. This race starts from Marvejols, joining Mende by the Col de Goudard and the Côte de Chabrits. It is sometimes used as a preparation marathon for major events (the World Championships, Olympic Games), but is also open to amateurs as the majority of the marathons. Since 2006, the month of July is also marked by the organisation of a national of pétanque.
  Cycling is also in honour of the city. The Grand Prix of the city of Mende hosted the best professionals in the 1970s. Since then, the Côte de la Croix Neuve has seen five stage finishes in the Tour de France (1995, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2018), and stages in the Tour de l'Avenir, the Grand Prix du Midi Libre, the Tour du Languedoc-Roussillon and Paris-Nice. Since 2006 and the rebirth of the Tour du Gévaudan, Mende is judged the final arrival of this amateur race of great importance. In 2008, the event was organised as the Finale de la Coupe des France des clubs [final of the Cup of France for clubs]. During the winter, a grand prix of regional cyclo-cross is also organized. The grand departure of the Tour de France VTT 1996, as well as the first two stages, happened at Mende.
  Mende was also host city of the Mediterranean Games in 1993 by hosting cycling, football and swimming events.
  In October 2005, the city hosted the 37th national congress of the French hiking federation, Lozère being a popular department for hikers, and is crossed by two of the most important roads of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Then, in 2007, Mende was the host of a round of the French enduro championships, as well as the final of the Coupe de France rally.
  In 2008, France welcomed the enduro European grand prix, the final of the World Championship (WEC). It was the town of Alès which was chosen to host the competition. However the organization was forced to give up, and it was finally hosted by Mende on 11 and 12 October 2008. In 2011, the city hosted the Grand Prix of France, final of the World Championship.
caption: Julien Bérard won the 2nd stage of the Tour du Gévaudan 2008, which arrived in Mende
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