Critérium du Dauphiné to soar to new heights with the Bird Park
May 7 th 2025 - 12:00
The Bird Park located in Villards-les-Dombes (Ain), is joining the Critérium du Dauphiné as the partner of the best young rider classification for the next three years.
The partnership is founded on the connection between sport and nature, with a shared commitment to preserving and enhancing local territories.
An editorial feature titled "One Day, One Stage, One Bird” aims to raise public awareness of the rich birdlife found across the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
THE BIRD PARK: AN ICONIC TOURIST DESTINATION
The Bird Park is the largest bird-focused wildlife park in Europe. Located in the heart of the Dombes region for 55 years, it offers a unique concept that brings together the Dombes Reserve and the Bird Park, home to bird species from every continent. The Parc also plays a vital role in the conservation of species that are endangered in the wild, making a substantial contribution to European breeding programmes through its specialised reproduction centre dedicated to European species. With more than 300,000 visitors a year, the Bird Park is the leading tourism driver for the Ain department.
THE BIRD PARK, A COMMITTED PARTNER IN THE PELOTON
After hosting the Critérium du Dauphiné four times (2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017), the Bird Park joins the best young rider classification and will appear on the white jersey, which rewards the best rider aged 25 or under. This jersey was won by American Matteo Jorgenson in the previous edition.
“ONE DAY, ONE STAGE, ONE BIRD”
Becoming the partner of the best young rider classification is a natural fit for the Bird Park. Education and awareness-raising are central to its identity, reflected in a range of innovative play-and-learn initiatives, which will be extended during the race through the editorial feature "One Day, One Stage, One Bird", shining a light on an emblematic bird species of each area that hosts a stage of the race. Shared on social media, this content aims to raise public awareness of the diversity of birdlife in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The partnership will be further enhanced through a combined television and digital sponsorship campaign on France TV, boosting the visibility of the Bird Park during coverage of the event.
Christian Prudhomme, Director of Cycling, ASO:
"Tony Martin in 2013, Nacer Bouhanni in 2015 at the Critérium du Dauphiné and Mark Cavendish during the 2016 Tour de France are some of the prestigious names who have claimed victory at the Bird Park, a long-standing and committed supporter of cycling. Welcoming it as the sponsor of the best young rider classification at the Critérium du Dauphiné is therefore a natural step, one that will also help to raise awareness around bird conservation among race spectators and viewers."
Emmanuel Visentin, Director of the Bird Park:
"This partnership between the Bird Park and the Critérium du Dauphiné feels like a natural progression. It reflects a long-standing relationship, as the Bird Park has built strong synergies over the years with organisers of cycling events that pass through the Ain department. Reaching a shared audience and benefiting from unparalleled exposure are not the sole motivations behind this collaboration. This is a partnership that goes beyond traditional sports sponsorship and is rooted in a common set of values: a deep regional connection, showcasing landscapes and biodiversity awareness. For one week, we invite the public to join the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Bird Park — a chance to reconnect with nature."