Cet article Parasports and BikingMan est apparu en premier sur BikingMan.

So don’t waste a moment and immerse yourself in the Turtle’s adventure to find out what their biggest challenge in AURA has been, to read here:

Tale of the Turtle in AURA

Cet article AURA in duo for the turtle est apparu en premier sur BikingMan.

Thank you Patrick for this sharing which reminds us that falling on an ultra unfortunately remains a possibility and something to keep in mind as an unfortunate end to this kind of adventure. Good recovery to you and we hope to see you soon on a bike.

Read Patrick’s full story on his blog:

Patrick’s Bikingcrash in AURA

Cet article Bikingcrash in AURA est apparu en premier sur BikingMan.

Sunday
I disembark at Beaumont-lès-Valence, base of BikingMan AURA (AUvergne-Rhône-Alpes) for check-in and briefing. Like all the competitors, I am very well received by the BikingMan team, Axel and his Race Angels. I find Patrick Gilles, the president of my Cyclosportissimo team, as well as Hugues Faivre d’Arcier, with whom I have already shared an RAF and an RAB (Burgundy). Hugues is the one who greatly lowers the average age of the competitors. And like any young person, he is still dissipated. For example, he rides his bike and changes his tires after the briefing, while everyone else has already been doing this for at least a week, and has been rechecked 3 or 4 times that it was
For my part, I do not know what result I can do. Of course, I’ve already won a BikingMan, I’m starting to master the subject. But the start of my season was seriously disrupted by an accident and there are many specialists announced on the starting line. Ultra races are clearly 2 categories of competitors. Those for whom completing the distance is a personal challenge, who are there to finish according to their possibilities, their training, and who have already planned to sleep every night, sometimes with hotels already reserved. And there are the furious ready to flirt with the limits of their health to fight it out. I am part of it, I have already crossed the other side of the limit which leads to the DNF. My last training sessions have not necessarily reassured me. A 200 km in the Alps where I returned totally transferred, sometimes walking in the passes. And technical problems that have multiplied, cause of abandonment if it happens in the race (Di2 front derailleur out of order, Garmin counter screen that comes off, etc.). Well, we’ll see tomorrow.

Monday
Ln the next day at 5 a.m., the flashing garland made up of the lamps of 120 runners is ready to illuminate the Rhône valley. I fell asleep early, no stress, it’s already won. I’m leaving with the 2nd wave (of 10 runners). I realize after the start that Patrick is in this group as well. We break away quickly. Prohibited drafting obliges, and different rhythms, we double, split, redouble… It’s quite unpleasant, impossible to regulate your speed. I tell myself that we will be naturally separated by the (severe) slope of the Col de la Mure. And it is, but not at all like I thought. To my great surprise, Patrick, whom I knew as a less good climber, boosted by his good season, including a 2nd place at BikingMan France, flew in front of me, and quickly joined the best of the 1st wave at the head of the race. I sometimes see them in the distance. It will last like this until Cheylard, km 60. There, we are not kidding anymore, I am on my adopted land. I’ve been riding here for a very long time, it’s MY cycling paradise. It’s time to show who’s boss here . I make the effort to take the lead… only to lose it almost immediately. A runner coming back from behind cannonballs past me. I will learn later that it is Yoan Dercourt, whom I did not know, and that he left with the last wave, so with about 10-12 minutes of handicap.
Back to square one, we find ourselves with Patrick playing the game of double / split. No one in sight behind, and we imagine that Yoan left for a festival in front. As we gain height towards the Gerbier de Jonc, I am hypnotized by the juices illuminated by the rising sun. Too beautiful . We leave the Gerbier on our right, towards the Cantal mountains. We thus evolve between 800 and 1300m of altitude, never flat. Patrick surprises me more and more, he pulls big gears. We fall back on Yoan. The beginning of hell for me… Patrick and Yoan are driving fast. I try for my part to follow from a distance by smoothing the effort. Uh… They know we left for more than 1000km? I often lose them, especially in the countless bumps, and then I come back. We pass fantastic landscapes including the immense Naussac lake. Finally comes CP1. My 2 friends finally did not let me go. I fill up with delicious lentils-sausages (error), drink 450 liters of water, and leave, alone. Yoan made a quick meal, and Patrick deals with his social networks. I think we were all tired of suffering, and it was time to ride at our own pace. From the start, I suffer. The heat and the digestion stick me to the asphalt of the Pas de Peyrol.



I have nausea. It will last until dusk. Patrick then comes back to me. I let him go ahead. I am therefore 3rd at this moment. The sun begins to set. I am alone in the world on a plateau, with the mountains of the Massif Central in the background on a red background. That’s wonderful! Thanks again Axel for the routes you find for us (I had already loved the BikingMan France route). It’s time to join civilization. Great descent in the cold (yes, I have to get dressed). Arrival in Issoire where I briefly bump into Patrick. He will stop taking water afterwards, and I will never see him again on this BikingMan (teaser). I follow the trail, still no Yoan in sight. I take a look at the livetracking, and I find that I’m in the lead. Yoan is actually behind. He stopped sleeping for a bit. So here I am in what I prefer. At night, with its deserted roads and bearable temperatures. The kilometers go by. Small surprise with an extreme slope (I even stopped because I thought I had stayed on the big plateau, which the little one had not been able to pass). And I find the whole team posted on this slope, to revel in their find. Later I will learn from the organization that Patrick is no longer in the race. Trajectory error, fall, breakage, hospital, and abandonment. I am very disappointed for him. Patience Patrick, you will come back stronger. Regularly, I see the red BikingMan car. Axel and Cédric come to take pictures and ask me questions. “How are you Remi? Well, a little tired all the same, I’ve been driving almost non-stop for 24 hours…

Tuesday
Sunrise, it’s time to move on to my moment of ultra happiness: breakfast. Unfortunately, it’s not going very well. Bakeries are rare in the Dombes. Just found a dry pain au chocolat. No apple turnover, no coffee, no orange juice … I lost enough time searching, and given the time, I decided to head for CP2. You have to stay vigilant on the track, the changes of direction follow one another, and the traffic intensifies. Arrived at CP2, I find the whole team who press me once again with questions and photograph me from all angles. Refueling, and here we go again, attacking Grand Colombier, one of the few passes I already know on this route. Its extreme slopes will therefore not be a surprise to me. I already decided before arriving there to go up on foot to save myself. The approach, on the other hand, I did not know it from this side. It’s going up fast, and above all it’s the heat wave . No shade at all, the Garmin indicates 38-39°C. Then hiking session therefore, as planned. It’s looooong. I still get back on the bike at the level of the Selle de Fromentel to end up pedaling.
I rock in the rapid descent. Suddenly I take a pothole. Fall limit. Phew, no punctures either. Even the 2 canisters remained on the bike. A miracle. I arrive at the bottom, drive to Culoz. I decide to take stock of the livetracking. And here is the drama. I realize that my phone – in theory fixed by magnet on the handlebars – is no longer there. The pothole… I consider for a moment going to look for it, but that means going back 25km, including the climb of the Grand Colombier, with no guarantee of finding it. I forget.
This whole part is terrible. The heat is intense, the water impossible to find. The rare fountains are dry. Among so many examples, I try to reach a cemetery that is difficult to access, barriers and stairs to pass, I look for the tap, I am delighted to have found it, to finally see a sheet explaining that drought = closed tap. AND THE CYCLISTS??? After Chambéry, I tackle the Charteruse trilogy, Granier-Cucheron-Porte.



The Col du Granier is in full sun, it’s hell. Fortunately the end of the day is approaching. Temperatures are starting to drop. We finally find the mountain atmosphere. It continues with the Cucheron, then the Col de Porte where a cyclist accompanies me. I can’t follow him, yet he doesn’t seem to force himself, is of a certain age and is in sneakers! Uh … you would not be burnt Rémi?
The sun is starting to set, I try not to stop, the goal is to make the great descent to Grenoble with the little light that remains. Passage of the agglomeration, endless cycle path with lots of concrete raised by roots, branches, pebbles. I remain vigilant, do not want to die. It is now completely dark. The last of my journey.

Wednesday
I know that there are 2 big passes left in the Vercors, but I didn’t worry about the detail at all. When the Garmin shows me the profile at the foot of the first, the Pas de Pré Coquet, I get scared. 21 km, more than 1200 m of altitude difference. I manage, it’s ok. No cars, no Race Angels. Only a few wild boars and badgers share my route. Descent to Saint-Jean en Royans, which I have already crossed during 2 unfortunate RAFs. I find my guardian angel Sergio there, the Race Angel on a motorcycle, who has already accompanied me to the suspenseful final of the BM France. He will end up with me.
Barring a big failure, victory is likely. Yoan, 2nd, is still chasing me, between 15 and 30 km depending on the scores. However, I can’t relax, can’t take a big break. Luckily I’m still not sleepy. Over 48 hours I know that the adrenaline keeps me awake. I won’t even have any hallucinations about this race. So I keep going. Totally different from that of the Ardèche elsewhere. I am far from the watts sent Monday during the battle at 3. But obviously my pursuers too. After Saint-Jean, I therefore tackle the final bouquet, the Col de la Machine and Col de la Bataille sequence. I panic a little. Unable to turn my legs, sitting on the saddle, I have to climb up like a dancer, it does not move forward. I see myself losing the race. I land after 3-4 km, and realize that I stayed on the big plateau. Lack of lucidity! I’m going back. Relief, I can still pedal. This last pass is nevertheless endless, 34 km in total. When you wait for the delivery of a finish line, it’s a long time! A last effort on the small pass of the Limouche, and diving on the Rhone valley. This time, barring an accident, it’s won. Axel, his team and a surprise await me at the finish line. I did it!

Saturday
Well, it’s not too bad. Sleep level, I recovered. No trauma related to distance, buttocks on fire style or loss of sensation in the feet. With experience, and podcasts, I have refined what was wrong, and I use what works best for me. 80 km this morning, good feelings.
The only big problem to deal with after this ultra finally, is the lost phone.

There remains for me to thank Axel for all of his work, and the Race Angels for their kindness throughout the race. A real favorite .
Finally Cédric, I still don’t know why I’m doing this . But I might do it again soon…

You can find the full race standings here:

AURA Ranking #2 2022

Cet article BikingMan AURA: The Confirmation est apparu en premier sur BikingMan.

This is the observation made by Max, captain of the FastClub, who gathered his troops en masse (11 members from various backgrounds) to meet and share a moment on the 2022 Corsican stage. Stories of their various fortunes on the island of Beauty.

Signing up for a BikingMan is never trivial. At first, we are all excited, then we train, then we can’t wait, we feel we are ready and then comes the stress of having to race!

To get around this stress and motivate ourselves up to and during the event, we all signed up for the same race. Indeed Fastclub is a solo club that has no local base, so for us, it was an opportunity to enjoy and ride together!

We found ourselves on the BikingMan Corsica check-in at no less than 11! That’s more than a full wave at the start! It is true that registering for an ultra race, managing the logistics and racing alone can be scary and stressful. For once, we were not the most stressed of the participants. With our complementary experiences, everyone had been able to find advice before the race. Our two Corsican members (Jean-Marc and Pierrot) also gave us some advice on the route.

We were therefore ready to battle, not all in the same way, but all in a good mood! For fun, and it’s a lot of fun in the paddock! Arrived at the start, the smiles were still there but the apprehension of doing the 1000 km was discreetly felt…

Here are the cyclists behind the club and their BikingMan Corsica!

– Maxime Prieur (Captain Max): already a BikingMan Euskadi finisher in 2021 and president of the club (and your journalist today!). For me, the goal of this BikingMan was to do it full gas, race first. To achieve this goal, I started very light on the bike, leaving aside comfort and emergency solutions during the race! The results are very positive with a good fourth place and a time of 48h41 to complete the 960 km race course. Yippee!

Fabien welcomed as it should be by Captain Max

– Fabien Morel: For Fabien, it was a great first time. Amateur cyclist and used to long rides (several times 400 and 500 km solo) as well as with a long experience of family cycling holidays when he was a child, Fabien at the start announced loud and clear that he wanted to ride only by day to enjoy landscapes and ended up doing a first day in management at a decent pace and following on with a good end of race which allowed him to grab a good place in the top 10. His anecdote: just before Calvi, the cucumber he had on his bike fell…

Mathieu, the quiet force at the arrival of the BMC 2022

– Mathieu Andrieu: If you are told “quiet strength”, you can now think of him directly! Start, finish, regularity, he who rides a bike, swims, runs, covered the race without the slightest problem! He ends up with a good place in the top 20 and thus makes his two children very proud of their dad! Passing the finish, the first thing he said “Fabien, I found your cucumber”.

George, le Bananier, probably looking for fruits

– George Camprubi, aka Le Bananier: So there, big story! Le Bananier only feeds on fruit, so at the start, he was rather loaded. Excited like a flea but accustomed to the effort (he had already finished the BikingMan Euskadi 2021), George gave us a very good first day in the top 20. During the second day, he suffered from heat stroke. Left as in 40, he let a few competitors pass with a double puncture and running out of Banana! He ends up with a nice place in the Top 30!

Thomas all smiles on arrival after a duel won against a sneaky bumblebee

– Thomas Delaplace aka Thomas of the place: There, we found a hell of a client! Thomas is a very regular cyclist, we even saw him this year on FFC races, and last year on another BikingMan too. But with all his experience and management, we will remember one thing: He almost gave up after colliding with a bumblebee that hit him in the groin…(hahahahaha). He finished in great shape after a steady-paced race.

Caroline and Thierry departing from CP1 – heading for the west side of the island.

– Thierry and Caroline: Our couple from the Avignon region, two enthusiasts of effort, with many years of Triathlon behind them. For them, it was almost revenge. Last year, they had finished the BikingMan France after a night in the hospital for Caro who had eaten a not-so-fresh pie in the middle of the race… Our two ex-triathletes managed their race from start to finish, but a BikingMan is not trivial! They arrived at mealtime as if the call of the plate had pushed them! Their faces drawn, they more than passed their test!

– The DREAMTEAM: Jean Marc / Pierrot / Richard: If you want a good atmosphere and mutual aid, it is with them that you should ride. How a solo race can become a team race. A team is not necessarily there to go faster by taking over as in the Tour de France, the goal of the friends: to ride together to help everyone in moments of weakness. Pierrot had to take a lot of micro-naps, Jean-Marc had to push his bike, Richard had to put up with them. Stories during the race, they have thousands of them (on your own, we generate a lot less!! On the one hand, I am jealous of their friendliness during the race). We’re going to ask them to do a podcast to tell everything! An anecdote about their race: Richard is going to pay the bill in a restaurant. He is told that the card is only accepted from 50 euros. Pierrot then gets up and raises his voice with his (Corsican) accent! Suddenly, the payment ceiling is greatly reduced (the Corsican charms…).

Clément, jinx of the FastClub on the BMC2022

– Clément Bancons alias Repsol (temporary nickname for his regular stops at service stations): Here, this is what’s called bad luck! A very consistent and trained cyclist, he came on his first Ultra, largely prepared. He was betrayed by his material. The first day on a downhill, coming out of a bend, he rolled over a stone at high speed and tore his inner tube (damaging the tire in the process). He repairs and continues his day with Fabien (by the way, they laughed a lot while riding side by side). After a short night at Cp1, he sets off again, and 1km after the CP, he rolls in a road repair (me too but I had stronger tires) and punctures a second time. He therefore lets Fabien go at that time. He leaves without any problem but with no more spare tube! Then he loses his credit card and his money by grabbing a bar in his back pocket (the next day, Thierry and Caroline will find it hahaha). He then catches back to Fabien and there is the tragedy, the tightening screw of his derailleur is gone. It’s 5 a.m., he gives up for a mechanical problem… The story to remember is that finally, while hitchhiking, he went to a bike shop that repaired his bike. He could have resumed the race a few hours later. A great lesson learned for the whole club!

As you will have understood, the 11 of us all followed the same route, we were at the same start and at the same finish, but a BikingMan can be approached in a lot of different ways with a lot of fun each time!

You can find the full race standings here:

Corsica #5 2022 Standings

Cet article The multiple Corsican experiences of the FastClub est apparu en premier sur BikingMan.

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Cet article Portugal #4 – Race journal est apparu en premier sur BikingMan.

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Cet article Axel’s first BikingMan est apparu en premier sur BikingMan.

Day 2 – The shadow of the Tour de France

Believe it or not, I’m not an absolute fan of the Tour. However, the names of infamous climbs have always resonated in my mind since I’ve been riding a bicycle. The Tourmalet pass (2,115m) was the big target of this second warm-up day. After several sleepless nights in Portugal during the BikingMan event, my legs were tired and the spirit was battling to keep up with the energy needed every day.

Approaching the start of the Tourmalet had been quite interesting with numerous superb villages and herd of sheeps on the road. We passed by the enormous Lourdes city that was far from my kid imagination. The fortified Lourdes castle though is still a major architectural masterpiece to be observed by bike.

A crowded corridor from Montgaillard village to Sainte Marie de Campan reminded us of how busy this road would be during the peak season. We started the ascent after a serious refuel next to the official monument dedicated to Eugène Christophe. You can’t really give up on the ascent after reading the epic story of Eugène (pro cyclist) who broke his fork in the Tourmalet descent in 1913 and had to repair it in Sainte Marie de Campan!

There were 17,20 kilometers of pure joy with almost no cars on the road ahead of us. I had to fight in the final kilometers with the acclimatization but the spectacle at the top felt like a miracle. The snow capped mountains of the Pyrenees and a breathtaking sunset awaited us. That final blow of beauty helped us to gather our last bit of energy to survive the freezing temperatures in the downhill to reach Luz Saint Sauveur.

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Cet article Euskadi – Exploration notes est apparu en premier sur BikingMan.

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