Adrien Liechti.

The loneliness of the long-distance cyclist…

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Café du Cycliste athlete, bikepacking ultra-racer Adrien Liechti, has been on the road since October… we catch up with him after his third-place finish at the Tassie Gift race in Tasmania to hear more about the life of an itinerant racer.

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Your nomadic life on a bike allows you to experience unique adventures. What attracted you to this quest off the beaten path?

What draws me to being a nomad is the freedom – breaking the traditional commute, work, sleep mould (metro, boulot, dodo as we say in French). I’ve been a nomad for three years now, living on my bike. What I’ve lost in comfort, I’ve gained in freedom, no doubt. The greatest wealth is having the time to stay in a place and not having too many plans. It allows me to meet people in different places.

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In recent months, you’ve crossed amazing places like Australia, Malaysia, and Thailand. How have these adventures enriched your experience as a cyclist?

Australia and Tasmania were places I didn’t know at all, truly different. For example, in Australia, the culture is entirely different. People have a completely different mindset and way of doing things. I was almost more disoriented in Australia than in Morocco. In Australia, I met many friends I knew through social media and the bike-touring world. You also come face to face with nature, especially encountering a lot of wildlife. Especially in Tasmania, I saw tons of animals, especially at night – up to 300 or 400 encounters per night. There are small nocturnal kangaroos that wake you up. Or, during my night rides, I’d see them cross the road, as they’re drawn to the bike lights. They often crossed right in front of me. During the race in Tasmania, I rode almost through the night for seven nights.

In Thailand (where I currently am), not much surprises me anymore. It’s an easy trip compared to Australia. Australia is dangerous across the whole continent. Here, it’s easy: there’s food everywhere, people almost everywhere, and the locals are very approachable (even though not many people speak English). Those who do often travelled or lived abroad and belong to a certain social class. Right now, I’m traveling with a friend, and we’re sleeping in temples. Communication in the countryside is quite challenging. In Malaysia, on the other hand, regardless of social status, many more people likely speak English, making travel easier.

In Australia’s Outback, there can be 200-400 kilometres between supply points. Off road, that can take a couple of days, so you have to plan for water and food accordingly. You need clothes for the rain, as it rains a lot in summer, plus gear for the sun. There’s no phone network, so you need a reliable tracker. And if you have the slightest problem, you have to call for help. So trips like that require advance preparation.

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When you’re alone on the road for hours or even days, what do you feel? Is it a mental challenge or a form of meditation for you?

On my ride to Uluru, I rode for 17 days alone. Really alone – I was by myself on the bike, and there was very little population. I’d maybe see two people a day. I knew that being alone was part of the adventure, and it was going to be hard. Especially because you make a big effort every day to reach a “safe” place where you can find water, rest, and wash – so you ride a lot. It’s hard, and I really felt alone. You overthink even the smallest problems… if it lasts a while, it can really take a toll. In Australia, I didn’t have any real issues, but I was constantly thinking, “When will I find water? Do I have enough food? How will the weather be?” It’s all about organisation and it’s not really meditative. I was quite worried because, if you make a mistake in Australia, you have to call for help. Luckily, nothing happened – everything went well.

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Do you have strategies to combat moments of solitude?

I listen to very little music, but I set short-term goals. It depends on the sequence of the day, which I split into two or three parts, to see where I might stop in between. That’s what was tough in Australia: as there’s nothing in between, you commit to ten hours of cycling, and that’s it. Otherwise, during races, my mind wanders a bit when I’m tired, and I start thinking about different things.

There are places where I’ve had intense dreams, like at Uluru. It’s a mystical place, very important to indigenous Australians. They say it’s the place where dreams are created, and I felt it…

There’s a balance to be struck between solitude and moments of human connection. Can you share a memorable encounter you’ve had during your travels?

Yes, I plan my travels to a basic level. I can be alone for 10 days or two weeks, but then I make sure to be with other people. Since 1 January I’ve been with someone else, but before that I was alone for almost two months (with some encounters and shared segments of the road, of course, but mostly traveling solo). In a few weeks, I’ll meet other friends at the next races I’m taking part in. So, it’s fine – I alternate.

A very memorable encounter happened in the middle of Australia. After riding 250 kilometres in 45 °C heat, I stopped at a service station and met a French traveller, about 25 years old, who had ridden from France to Australia. We ended up spending some time together, exchanging experiences about bike touring. We’re still in touch. It was a great encounter. I even have a photo!

Often, the most interesting people I meet are those who aren’t on social media. There are people doing much crazier things than what you see online.

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What attracted you to the Tassie Gift?

The Tassie Gift is a race I’ve known about since 2019, and it has always fascinated me for several reasons. It’s fairly long (1,800 km) and it’s real mountain biking. Tasmania is very sparsely populated, and the weather is challenging. It can change in two minutes. It might be raining and 5 °C, so you put on your rain jacket, and then two minutes later the sun breaks through, it’s 25 °C, and you feel like you’re burning. I never knew how to dress properly – it was crazy. What attracted me the most is that it’s a very difficult and relatively unknown race.Additionally, the organiser is truly passionate. She’s a scientist, who puts a lot of effort into her event. The GPS route is perfect because she spends a lot of time riding in Tasmania herself. The event is also unique in the bikepacking world because it’s free to enter.

Can you describe your experience during this competition? What were the highlights and biggest challenges?

The biggest challenge was that I got sick and couldn’t eat from the third day until the end of the race. I spent almost the entire race drinking Coke and trying to eat. I was also surprised by the very low temperatures—we had snow at -5 °C, with the first night dipping to -6 °C. There were also a lot of fallen trees due to storms and wind. In one section there were maybe 200 downed trees. We had to climb over them, which was very difficult.The highlights I truly enjoyed were riding along the west coast of Tasmania. It’s very wild, with harsh weather – strong winds, frequent rain, cold temperatures, and unique vegetation. The terrain is extremely rocky and unforgiving. Another great moment was riding around Derby, on the east coast. It’s a very famous place for mountain biking. There were a lot of people riding the trails during the race, it was amazing.

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What mental and physical elements helped you excel in this demanding race?

For a European, it was challenging to ride there because it’s a completely different world. I did a lot of research beforehand. I contacted people who live and ride there, including the winner from the previous year, and we discussed gear, food availability, etc. One of the tricky things was shop and restaurant hours. In Australia, some shops close at 3:00 PM, which can be problematic if you arrive late. One specific challenge was crossing a river mid-race. I missed the ferry by two hours, so I had to sleep for nine hours by the riverbank, waiting for the next ferry. If I hadn’t been sick, I think the experience would have been different. I finished 3rd but with a three-hour penalty. I missed a turn somewhere, it was my mistake. That’s how it goes. There’s a lot of mental work involved. I was slow, tired, and hypoglycaemic, but I took it in stride and laughed about it. It was fun in hindsight. Physically, I was fine. I’m starting to gain experience with these kinds of races, so I know how to manage them.

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Your bike and equipment are your traveling companions. What items or clothing are essential for you, especially on long distances?

The Café du Cycliste Suzette rain jacket was absolutely essential. I was worried about my previous rain jackets, but this new material was incredible, it worked amazingly well.It was the central piece of gear in Tasmania because it would rain one moment and then stop. Sometimes, I even rode in the sun with the rain jacket on. Another crucial item is a good pair of bib shorts. I use Eva, with cargo pockets. It’s very important to have good shorts since I wash and wear them every day. (I’ve been using the same bib shorts since late October and have ridden about 9,000 km with them. They’re still holding up great!) Also, I need a good down jacket for off-bike activities. It’s a versatile piece that I use for sleeping and as an extra layer.

For those dreaming of combining bike touring and competitions, what advice would you give them?

First, focus on organising your gear, optimising logistics, and taking care of your feet. ;)

Currently, it’s not possible to excel in competitions while travelling. The people winning races today are semi-professionals who train like pros. They arrive at the races ready to perform and then go home to rest afterward. You need to be well-rested and mentally fresh. Rest is very important.

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Skate Socks
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Outlands Shoes
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What are the essentials for succeeding in a long-distance race—mentally, physically, or in terms of gear?

First, you need to genuinely want to do it and stay motivated. Day after day, you’ll face challenges, and some days will be tough, making you question everything. When problems arise, it’s about finding solutions. It’s not the events that are difficult – it’s how you react to them. There will always be unforeseen circumstances, and you need to stay optimistic and prepared. Also, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. The goal is to finish while respecting the rules. I always research the races I plan to do, and I arrive in the country ahead of time, riding 5,000 kilometres in similar conditions before the race.This helps me learn about the weather, the people, the food, and how to handle animals (e.g, dangerous dogs or snakes). I learn a lot while travelling.

What's next in 2025?

My next race is in Malaysia in three weeks. I’ll be travelling in a country I don’t know well, where there are still wild elephants and tigers. I really want to see elephants on the road. I’ve seen them in Africa before, but this will be different. The weather will also be challenging – it’s going to rain and be very, very hot. After that, I’ll participate in a mountain bike race in the Balkans, the Trans Balkan, in May. After that, I’m not sure yet. Maybe I’ll go to Japan at the end of the year, and I’d also like to do something in the mountains or a desert for mountain biking. Also, I’ll be turning 40 this year, but I haven’t planned anything for that yet.

Stay tuned for more adventures!

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