The Story

01

The first rides

Freedom on two wheels

I still remember my first ride on my paternal grandparents’ path — the first time without training wheels, the inevitable falls, knees bleeding, palms torn open. But beyond the pain, there was this overwhelming sense of freedom. A feeling I would spend the rest of my life chasing on two wheels.

02

MTB discovery

The mountain calls

At 12, I needed to go further. That’s when I discovered mountain biking. A green Lapierre from a rental fleet, a club in the Ubaye valley, Wednesday afternoon rides with other kids. I wasn’t the fastest — far from it. I even thought about quitting. But I never did. The mountain had a grip on me that I couldn’t shake.

03

The competition years

The Megavalanche, Kenya, China

My greatest achievement was 7th place at the Megavalanche — 1,500 riders, a mass start from the glacier, 2,000 metres of descent in 45 minutes. Then Kenya, the Fabien Barel Invitational, racing up Mount Kenya on foot before descending on bike at altitude. And China, where I signed autographs like a star. Six years that shaped everything I became.

04

The turning point

Angeline, and the decision

In 2009, my daughter Angeline was born. Two days later I left for Kenya. That race nearly killed me — altitude sickness at 4,000 metres, medication to prevent brain oedema, vomiting on the descent. I should have stayed home. The following year, at the start line of the Maxiavalanche, I looked down the mountain and felt nothing. No desire to win. Élodie and Angeline were waiting at the bottom. I retired that day — voluntarily, at the top.

05

After the race

Race Company, Intense, Commencal

What the sport gave me, I put into business. Race Company, then Intense Cycles France, then Commencal Canada — where I built a subsidiary from CA$1.5M to CA$10M and a team of twelve. The same discipline, the same resilience. Just without the stopwatch. In 2018, we moved to Squamish, British Columbia — mountain capital of the world. The bike never really left.

06

Today

A new chapter

I still ride. But I no longer need to beat the clock or prove anything. What counts now is the simple pleasure of sharing these moments with friends and family — savouring every trail without pressure. I have traded the adrenaline of racing for a search for serenity and balance. The bicycle will always be part of me. But it is time to turn the page and write a new chapter.