"I love putting on my cycling shorts, especially when my legs are shaved": says "Mamil," this fifty-something who loves Lycra and road cycling

One Sunday at the end of September, 8:30 a.m., ParisLongchamp racecourse, in the west of the capital. While a few joggers set off in the paths of this quiet corner of the Bois de Boulogne, dozens of cyclists perched on gleaming bikes cut through the air in Tour de France style, wearing colorful jerseys and streamlined helmets.

We're on the "ring , " a 3.6-kilometer cycle path (including a slight incline) that encircles the racecourse, one of the most sought-after training spots in Paris (and, with 10 million laps, the most ridden segment in the world on Strava , the social network for athletes). Some will ride for hours on their carbon bikes; others will warm up before heading out in a small group for a three- or four-hour gravel ride on mixed terrain outside of Paris, in the nearby Chevreuse Valley or a little further afield in the Yvelines.

Michel (those quoted by their first name wished to remain anonymous), 53, takes a break. Dressed in an elegant black outfit, he is perched on his Giant "steed," which cost him 3,000 euros: "Here, it's really for training, it's fast, very fast – but it can get a bit boring going around in circles." "I admit it," says this Parisian, who clocks up between 100 and 150 kilometers a week and is also a regular at the "polygon," a cycle path located in the Bois de Vincennes, in the ^12th arrondissement. A design company owner, Michel took up cycling five years ago to stay in shape after an injury forced him to give up running. He's the archetype of the "Mamil" (a term used to describe a Parisian cycling enthusiast).

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