WSU Student Takes the Next Step Towards Competing in the Tour de France

What if I told you that the road to the Tour de France ran through Pullman? Well, for WSU student Chris Dugan, it does. He’s been racing for well over a decade and making the Tour de France has always been his goal.

“My first race was at 7, and it was in Bellingham, Washington. I won that race, and the feeling of competing, the feeling of accomplishing a first place position was really amazing,” he said, “And once I saw the Tour de France on TV, that’s when I said, ‘this is what I want to do.’”

Soon enough, Dugan will be taking his talents from these Pullman hills, to Spain, where he hopes to get enough exposure to race for a world tour team.

“I got invited to race for a team in Spain. The team is called Pemoy Sociedad Deportivo, which is basically Pemoy Cycling Team. They race in races like the Cope de Espana, which is basically one of the prestigious races, the top end races in Spain. And those are seen by the pro teams” he said.

Dugan said that racing in Spain will give him the exposure he needs to eventually make the Tour de France.

He said, “with those races, with that race exposure, I’ll be in the eyes of the big ‘world tour. teams is what they’re called. And if I get a contract with them, I’ll be able to compete in the Tour de France.”

Dugan’s races will be televised in the US, so you’ll be able to cheer him on from home.