There are a number of rules: students are only allowed to take a lift in a Belgian car during the first stage – Ghent to Paris– to avoid them simply calling up Daddy for a ride all the way to Barcelona. They can only take one ride per car, and all lifts have to be logged on the lift card. In return, the organisers have organised a place to spend the night at each of the stops along the way. There are also barbecues and DJs who accompany the convoy. To ease the anxieties of parents, there’s an emergency number to call if anything goes wrong, and someone from the crew will come running.

Some parents are less anxious than others. “Of course you hear negative stories,” said one mother, dropping off her 21-year-old son. “But you’re better off not thinking too much about that. I used to hitchhike fairly often, and nothing ever went wrong.”

The rankings were due to be drawn up on Tuesday 13 July, with only the five fastest and the five most creative teams allowed to compete in the last stage to Barcelona. The winners will be known on Wednesday.