Guillaume Néry
Some of my first dives were along the Promenade des Anglais as a child. I remember the excitement and fear of seeing the pebbles go deeper and deeper and then almost disappearing out of sight. I found it fascinating, like I was going into my own little space.
I started freediving at 14 and initially I was just focused competitions and records. In 2015, I tried to break my 5th world record but there was a mistake in the measurement of the cable. I ended up at 139M instead of 129M which was way too deep for me and I damaged my lungs on the way up. I recovered but it was a breaking point and my relationship with the sport changed.
I stopped competing and I realised that freediving was an amazing way to see the underwater world, marine animals and explore new places.
It's not just a sport, it's a lifestyle and you develop a relationship with the elements. It teaches you humility because when you dive deep into the sea you realise how small we are.
Cycling has forged me into the athlete I have become. As a child, I wasn’t particularly into sports, but I always went out on my bike regularly. It has helped me develop strong thighs and a passion for endurance which are essential for deep diving.
When I started to perform well underwater, I used the bike as a training tool because it is great for practicing breath work, energy saving and building muscle. In college I was going out on my bike around 5 times a week and even as my career progressed, I still rode at least twice a week.
Over the years my relationship with cycling has changed as well. Now, I use my bike all time to get around Nice, not just for training, and recently I have fallen in love with bikepacking. Last summer I crossed the Alps with my partner and this year I hope to take on the Pyrenees.
Where I ride
Around Nice, I enjoy exploring the Esteron valley, up to St-Auban. But if I only had two hours to spare, I would ride the Col d'Eze or Mont Chauve.
What I ride
When I was younger I always trained on the road. Nowadays I love riding in the backcountry on small gravel roads where there are no cars.
Why I ride
Cycling encompasses several things which are important to me in life: travel, exploration and discovery; it has a strong connection with free diving and has given me so much more than just a way to train.
One Breath Around The World
Turn out the light, put on your headphones and freedive with me around the world.
A TRAVERSE ACROSS THE PYRENEES
Each summer, I set off on an adventurous trip with good friends who are up for a challenge.
Bike-packing in the Balkans
Freediving champion and Caravan athlete Guillaume Néry saddled up with his partner to ride from southern Greece towards their home in Nice.
Diving in at the Café
It took five magical minutes to understand the dimension of free-diving champion and Caravan member, Guillaume Néry. To watch him sit and hold his breath for five minutes was a drop in the ocean on the way to understanding what’s required in this super-human sport.
