CARAVAN

GUILLAUME NERY | SCANDINAVIAN BIKEPACKING. For Caravan athlete Guillaume Néry, the renowned freediver who lives on the Côte d’Azur, a summer bikepacking trip has become a tradition. As a teenaged apprentice in freediving, Néry would use the bike to build muscle, work on his breath control and energy efficiency, riding up to five times a week, and even as his career progressed he’d still cycle twice a week. Now, his relationship to the bike has changed: no longer a training tool, it is instead a way to find the freedom he also experiences underwater – but with company. Having tackled the Alps and Pyrenees and, in 2022, the Balkans, in 2023 he turned his sights north, to a cooler destination. July saw Guillaume, his partner, Audrey, and good friend Fouad arrive in Copenhagen with loaded bicycles (Guillaume’s weighed 45kg, and the others’ not much less!) for a month’s riding through Scandinavia. “By looking at each person’s bike, and what they bring along, how they pack it and what their priorities are, you understand someone’s personality,” Guillaume says. En route to Allerum in Sweden, the first stop, the friends marvel at the sheer numbers of people riding bicycles and how flat the countryside is, after the mountains of the Côte d’Azur. Their first night campsite appears to be an idyllic spot – that is, until a seagull steals the salmon they’d caught for dinner! At 204km, they reach Gothenborg, where they celebrate Guillaume’s birthday with a roof over their heads, a real bed, herring on toast and an impromptu visit to a Coldplay concert – since the band happened to be playing the town. After Gothenborg, the heavens opened, and the two days’ ride to Röe take place under a deluge. From there they headed to Strömstad luxuriating in the sun once again – a wet/dry pattern that would, over the course of the trip, become very familiar. Memories of Sweden: Kardemummabullar, Guillaume’s favourite cardamom buns; finding laundries and keeping on top of everyday tasks; buying fresh fish direct from fishermen and eating fruits and wild raspberries found beside the trail for breakfast; squatting one night in a dirty, tumbledown shack, just to get out of the rain. “These are all little life experiences, each one a concentrated slice of life,” Guillaume says. After Stromstad, Norway. The midday ferry takes them to a more menacing landscape, with vast hilly terrain and heavy rain. A 33km late ride feels like double the distance. But Norwegian kindness saves them, when Maria and Arif, owners of a café where they’d stopped to eat, offer them a bed – and showers, and good coffee – which latter particularly pleases Fouad. 108km to Olso and time for two days off in the sun. More Kardemummabullar for Guillaume, and two pairs of glasses for Fouad, since he is losing a pair a week. And since Fouad is leaving early, they take a train to the coastal fjords so they can ride these roads together before his time is up. It feels a little like cheating, but this is a tour, not a race, and there is nobody to disqualify them! As it gets more hilly, it gets colder and colder. Mornings become a struggle, packing vital possessions and keeping them out of the incessant rain, but Fouad is unstoppable, doped up on the espressos he makes in his Aeropress. Audrey is climbing well. At 1,000m altitude in Geilo they camp. Rain for days. No cars, freezing cold, but complete contentment. Reindeer cooked by Fouad to supplement the avocado toast and more Kardemummabullar. Day 15: the sun has got his hat on – hip hip hip hooray! – as they ride the infamous gravel Rallarvegen road. Reaching Myrdal, they celebrate Audrey’s birthday with a muffin, and a present of a small hotel room up in the mountains. After a huge breakfast they ride along Sognefjord, Norway’s longest (204km) and deepest (1,308m) fjord. Fouad leaves, tired and content with his experience; Guillaume and Audrey press on and, after 123km and a ferry ride, reach Førde, passing 1,000km total in the process. The rain doesn’t take away from the breathtaking landscape of forests, cliffs and waterfalls crashing into the fjords. At Førde, they have a day off and a night in a warm apartment. Cooking, washing, reading, resting: the simple pleasures of centring and looking after oneself during a long trip. A sprint the next day to Bremangerlandet for the evening ferry, but they make time to pick up mackerel for dinner. With fatigue setting in and the bikes feeling heavier and heavier, they attack the most remote region of Norway, with few places to sleep or refuel. In the midst of it, a day in Bjørkedal in a 400-year-old house, before leaving for Leknes. After a night at a ferry station in Liabygda, a quick sea swim at an idyllic spot – irresistible for a free-diving champion! – followed by shrimp toast and coffee in a historic hotel. Then, after riding the most beautiful road (even better than the Col d’Aubisque, in Guillaume’s opinion), they set up camp at another ferry station. For the last day on the bike, they take on Trollstigen, one of Norway’s legendary mountain roads, climbing for 32km – again in the rain. Not far on, their adventure ends in Åndalsnes, with a rainbow. "Reflecting on the experience, Guillaume says the most challenging part was the constant changing from warm to cold, dry to wet and light to dark, even with a full complement of kit. And he was also struck by the allemannsretten law (similar to a “right to roam”), which means that bikepacking and wild camping with care and respect for people’s properties and the natural environment is an easy and normal thing in Norway. The experience, overall, of sharing these places, of learning to live together 24/7, to adapt, and to help each other through uncomfortable moments, is what makes long bike trips unforgettable. “There’s always those moments when everyone wants to be alone, but in the end you realise that it’s being together that makes these trips so powerful,” Guillaume says. Guillaume is already thinking ahead to the next trip – which he might share with his daughter!"

Alexia Barrier, not just a sailor Early on a Sunday morning the square in Biot, a small perched Provençal village on the French Riviera, is already busy. The terrace of Café de la Poste is bathed in autumn sunlight, locals gathered to catch up with friends and neighbors or discuss what’s in the news. Alexia passes between the tables, addressing each person by their name and answering a stream of questions — everyone in the village knows her. She grew up here and many of those she speaks with still find it a little strange to see her on TV or looking back at them from a newspaper. She's just returned from a long period at sea and she hasn't touched her bike in a while. This morning, she'll settle for a small tour of the surrounding hills, taking advantage of the few closed roads she knows to let her dog Nikka run alongside her. The bike and yoga are the winning combination for Alexia's physical and mental preparation. Unfortunately, her Trek Domane doesn't accompany her everywhere, and when she reunites with it, it's never for very long. The goal in the coming weeks is to ride, to take advantage of the mild temperatures in the region during winter to accumulate kilometers. The distances covered on the bike will prove beneficial on the boat; it's all about preparation, leaving nothing to chance. Success on the boat relies on training that neglects nothing, so she'll 'push the limits.' In the sailing world, Alexia Barrier's name is increasingly heard in the rarefied air where a select few share the records. Since joining the very limited circle of women who have achieved a Vendée Globe (a solo round-the-world race), the machine has spun, and nothing seems to scare the Azurian sailor anymore. There’s something special happening near Mont Ventoux. We can’t let on what it is just yet, but join us in the shadow of the bald mountain in April for a special occasion… The Famous Project was born from this desire to push the limits a bit further, to step up in the level of challenge on the ocean's surface. In her sights now is a record attempt on the Jules Verne Trophy, a non-stop, unassisted round-the-world voyage, with an all-female international crew. The Jules Verne is the world of Ultimes, giant sailboats, 32 meters long and 23 meters wide. It's been 25 years since a woman’s name was on the Jules Verne Trophy; never has an all-female crew even got to the start line. When asked why she chose to put together an all-female crew, Alexia responds that at the dawn of the project, she wondered who she would like to sail with. Names of women naturally came to mind. It's not that she doesn't enjoy sailing in mixed crews, but 'there's a need to shake things up in the sport; currently only 5% of offshore race participants are women. Men are highly paid for what they do; for women, it's out of the question. So, to make things move, we need to prove that women are just as capable as men on a boat, so we'll work on it.' Alexia participated in the Lady Liberty Regatta in September 2023, a race organized by the Manhattan Yacht Club. A technical race on the Hudson River in New York, with strong currents. It was a race on J80s, '7-meter monohulls that don't move much,' Alexia chuckles. An international race competed by female crews from all corners of the world. Alexia's crew won the race, just ahead of the Americans. 'What I mainly remember is the sharing; there were women for whom sailing remains exceptional in their country, especially the Koreans. We were like Rock Stars in this race, and it's amusing to see what we're capable of influencing with this status. We fully committed to it; it was a beautiful human adventure.' The Famous Project is on track, and its Leader doesn't spare any effort to give the project all the support it requires. For over a year now, the crew has been sailing on Limosa, a MOD70, a 21-meter-long trimaran, and 17 meters wide. The boat is a monster for ordinary mortals. For Alexia, the MOD70 is 'like a kart... with it, we sail on the edge at high intensity, constantly pushing it to the brink of capsizing,' she explains with a broad smile! Limosa belongs to the project; Alexia acquired it last year. The boat proudly paraded among billionaires' super yachts in Saint Tropez Bay last October for the famous Voiles de Saint Tropez. On board, the crew has just won the Rolex Middle Sea Race for the second time. They also won it on 'La griffe du Lion' last May, a race from La Grande Motte to the Spanish border, setting a speed record in the process. The rest of the year, Limosa is safely moored in the Mediterranean when the crew doesn't push it to its limits. But the boat preparing for the record attempt is somewhere in Brittany on the Atlantic Coast. The multihull lent by IDEC Sport is yet another world, over 30 meters long, a monster. 'When the boat heels, you're on top of a 6-story building,' Alexia exclaims, all smiles. This boat currently holds the Jules Verne Trophy record: a round-the-world trip in 40 days and 23 hours. 'That's the time we'll need to beat,' says Alexia, still smiling. This prospect doesn't even make her flinch; she even finds it amusing, knowing the journey that still lies ahead. The boat is currently undergoing renovations; it will be ready at the beginning of 2024, and then the serious stuff will begin... Photos credit : Christol Robin and Christophe Rousseau

1% for the Planet: Alexia Barrier and Protecting the Oceans For two years, Café du Cycliste has devoted 1% of its turnover to supporting projects linked to environmental protection. All of the organisations we support are based in France and we’re committed to help promote and advance environmental protection and social enterprise. Alexia Barrier, professional sailor, Caravan athlete and Côte d’Azur local, is preparing to attempt a world record in multihull sailing with a 100% female crew, named the ‘The Famous Project’. And Alexia’s 4myPlanet charity is one of our supported organisations. Alexia is a woman strongly committed to the protection of her playground of the oceans and invited us on to her racing boat for the Voiles de Saint Tropez. This visit coincides with the release of the first episodes of her virtual reality film Ocean 360 and gives her the opportunity to tell us about the progress 4myPlanet. The Voiles de Saint Tropez, run since 1999, brings together classic boats and modern vessels for a celebratory regatta in the Mediterranean ocean. Alexia’s MOD 70, a multihull trimaran, glides across the bay among the more traditional sailing yachts. On luxury boats the crews work in serious silence, on-deck with Alexia it's a completely different atmosphere. A happy group of children are at work, supervised by an almost exclusively female crew, a dream team of sailors with CVs and experience as long as a fore-and-aft rig. These kids come from a college in Périgord to enjoy the extraordinary experience of sailing on a racing boat during an event which showcases the most beautiful monohulls in the world. “I had coached children during the Vendée Globe on an E-game, Virtual Regatta and I had promised the UNSS (Union Nationale du Sport Scolaire) to bring the winning team on my boat. And it’s crazy because these children, who live far from the sea, who have nothing to do with the world of sailing, discover this universe in the sublime setting of Les Voiles de Saint Tropez, it’s magical.” Alexia tells us why she agreed to be the ‘godmother’ of the UNSS: “I have been a godmother for three years, working together with the UNSS on issues of sustainability and environmental protection. I played sports at the UNSS when I was little myself. It’s a place where you can try lots of activities and make friends. At the UNSS you can be an athlete, referee, media-person or coach, it’s a great school of life. And it’s an opportunity for me, for The Famous Project and for 4myPlanet to be able to address its millions of licensees. They will be the first to see Ocean 360 and help broadcast it on a large scale.” Ocean 360 is the main project that the sponsorship from Café du Cycliste finances. Ocean 360 is a virtual reality film dedicated to educating about the oceans and their biodiversity. “My goal is to bring this issue of saving the oceans to schools in France but also abroad, to allow children who have never had the chance to experience the sea to encounter the ocean. In Ocean 360 we explain what happens on the surface of the water and under it when I sail. Sailing is used as a pretext and the object is of course to raise awareness of this very sensitive environment.” The film will be released in the near future and will be viewable on the 4myPlanet.fr website. It will also be distributed by UNESCO as well as by National Education in France. Alexia is working hard on it and is openly launching an appeal: “If teachers or National Education executives read this article, they call me, we have things to do together!” Alexia also works with UNESCO on issues related to education and diversity. 4myPlanet is involved in several European projects for the development of on-board sensors with a view to carrying out constant ocean observation. For 12 years it has been engaged in capturing research data. The two trimarans engaged in the quest for a world record with an exclusively female crew – The Famous Project – will be equipped with these sensors. Significant work is also underway to improve the use of renewable energy on board Alexia’s boats, via efficient solar panels, ethanol batteries and hydrogen. These technologies can then eventually be used for the public and the commercial end of the nautical industry. Rome was not built in a day, so they say, and Alexia is convinced that her action is for the long term. She is adamant that under no circumstances should we let our guard down. This woman has enormous potential for using her energy and convictions to protect and educate about the marine environment, something Café du Cycliste salutes and remains committed to supporting. READ MORE 1% For The Planet. 1% for the Planet is a step on the path to making our business started on the Côte d’Azur give back to the natural world. 1% for the Planet - Alexia Barrier. We spoke to our Caravan ambassador and professional sailor Alexia Barrier about her 4myplanet enterprise and how Café du Cycliste will be contributing to her future projects through 1% for the Planet. 1% for the Planet Action | WINGS OF THE OCEAN. Established in 2018, Wings of the Ocean aims to clean up coastlines and raise public awareness of environmental issues and pollution. Alexia Barrier: Repair-Café. When Alexia suggested the idea of organizing a Repair-Café to us, we jumped at the idea. The principle: fix things, don’t chuck them away and replace them if unnecessary.

Etienne Hubert | From Kayak to Gravel: Traversing the Alps The summer months are synonymous with heavy training loads for the kayak racers of the French national team. 2023 was no exception to the rule, a demanding round of qualifying for the Olympic Games punctuated the summer, and bodies are battered. September is a month where Etienne Hubert, veteran kayak racer and Caravan athlete, takes some time out, but still very much keeps the engine running. September is where Etienne Hubert organises his unmissable bikepacking trips. It’s inconceivable for him to end the summer without a demanding travel adventure by bike, shared with his friends in the wild. Several projects were mentioned, ultimately it was the Torino-Nice route that won, if not for a serious landslide rendering the Paris-Turin TGV line out of action. So, a substitute epic journey is drawn up between Saint-Jean de Maurienne in the Alps and Nice on the Côte d’Azur. A somewhat less demanding course, but with 600 km and 16000 metres of elevation, the riders taking it on will get their money's worth. Etienne Hubert has this fine ability to unite people. Bringing together sports-humans from differing backgrounds to embark on his (sometimes fantastical) adventures. From the first WhatsApp group message, which includes around twenty curious folks, more than ten will take to the start. Some are novices and will have a few weeks to buy bikes and equipment. That shows you how convincing Etienne can be. All in there are five kayak World Champions, a pro-cyclist, a former middle-distance athlete, and other adventurers from various walks of life. On paper the group holds its own, it will also hold its own when they hit the ground riding. The Invincibles, perhaps. It’s leaden heat on the flat industrial valley of Saint Jean de Maurienne, which is not the most beautiful place to begin the journey. But the gravel track which should lead our peloton to Valloire has suffered a landslide. It is on the Col du Galibier that the offroad adventure will really begin, a unique moment when the group, loaded up to their ears, reaches the summit. The track which leads to the Rochilles refuge at an altitude of over 2600m is dominated by the famous turrets of the Pointes de Cerces (3098m) and already gives a taste of the next day’s terrain. A preamble of two or three kilometres pushing the bike on foot is the price to pay for avoiding the Galibier and the Lautaret road to reach the magnificent Nevache valley. This is a mecca for cross-country skiing and has a most tranquil ambience with Tibetan prayer flags fluttering and rivers twinkling. A clear contrast with Briançon, which the group reached a few hours later for a brief return to ‘civilization’ before attacking the Izoard and Agnel passes. Col de l’Agnel is declared a bivouac site at the end of this second day. Perhaps not the best idea, at 2500 meters the nights are cool, they are even more so when the pack must travel as light as possible and the sleeping bags are not the thickest. But that is what adventure sometimes calls for. The day that follows will conversely be much warmer. Italy is on the cards for day three, che bella. It’s 10 am, and already the sun seems to be burning all its powder. The bumpy tracks sheds the bikes of excess belongings. Everything that does not fit into the panniers goes: flip flops, lights, inner tubes... at the back of the peloton the collection of lost objects is organised, no problem. Good ice cream today too, of course. The group do turns through-and-off on the valley floor to reach ‘Little Peru’, the route’s main attraction for day four. There are adventurers in the group, athletes who have travelled the world and who are not making their first geographical discovery, but Little Peru raises the same collective surprise, the same wonder as Big Peru. Like the Andes Mountains, there is a plateau at altitude crossed by dirt tracks, and the place is sublime, unmissable, even if the paths which lead there give the group a hard time. The big effort is largely rewarded, as is nature’s way. It's day five already, Via del Sale. The longest day of the journey – demanding, and seemingly endless. The military road which runs through the ridges leads back to France. Here, the remains of forts and barracks follow one another. Many cyclists and hikers stop at the Don Barbera refuge, but this group will stop at Tende in the valley, 1300 metres lower and quite a few kilometres further along. They finish in darkness but the barbecue in the bed of a drained river, eating copious protein to fuel for the last portion of the journey is the whole and pure objective of the moment. Tomorrow the sea will be within sight, and with it renewed motivation to turn the pedals. Each bivouac arrangement requires time. As the days go by, the departure time moves back, it is 10 am when the gang leaves the streets of Tende on this Saturday morning. The planned day is long, and our riders will have to make up for the late roll-out. The attacks on the passes even on this penultimate and leg-weary day shows the competitive spirit hasn’t left the group. On the descents or on the climbs, the desire to fight is palpable. It is in the DNA of these warriors; the journey can be seen like a training camp. The village of St. Agnès, perched above Menton, marks the beginning of the end. Tomorrow they will arrive in Nice. The team sets its sights on the only water point in the village, on a roundabout, at the foot of the road which leads to the Col de la Madone. This will be the last bivouac spot, rather incongruous, yet effective and practical. A restaurant has accepted that the group will come to their place this evening, although it will be difficult to find a t-shirt that is still clean. The place is rustic, however, and the 11 guys who have just arrived on the terrace are even more so. The meal is generous and the evening successful. Tomorrow the short 40 kilometres that leads to Nice promises to be a procession and celebration. The warm, clear water of the Mediterranean into which the gang throws itself this Sunday morning has a taste of reward, a moment that everyone has dreamed of since the first climb six days ago. It seems that weeks of adventure have passed since then. The sunglasses will later hide a few eyes reddened by tears as the time for catching trains home approaches. A trip like this between friends is much more serious than it seems. It can give rise to unsuspected feelings of joy and pride, and always the immediate, spontaneous desire: to do it all over again as soon as possible! VIEW MORE A Day in the (Sporting) Life of Étienne Hubert. It’s 6:27 am as we approach Étienne Hubert’s front door on the eastern edge of Paris. The professional kayaker and Caravan athlete resides a stone’s throw from Bois de Vincennes, the city’s largest public park. Today, we are here to follow him around as he trains and observe the life of sportsman who will not stop. TRANSMISSION – GUILLAUME NERY. Cycling is a gift. From when you are first taught to push the pedals down the street, to crossing the finish line with your arms raised in thanks. No Direction Home : 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. 1% for the Planet - Alexia Barrier. We spoke to our Caravan ambassador and professional sailor Alexia Barrier about her 4myplanet enterprise and how Café du Cycliste will be contributing to her future projects through 1% for the Planet.

TRANSMISSION – GUILLAUME NERY Introducing a new series of profiles and explorations on the inter-generational connection of cycling and its positive impact on the world. Cycling is a gift. From when you are first taught to push the pedals down the street, to crossing the finish line with your arms raised in thanks. It is more than just a sport. It is a passion, a community, a family, a gift. Passed down from generation to generation. Passion, community, learning, self-sufficiency, and balance. The premiere subject in the Transmission series is Guillaume, world-champion free-diver, lifelong cyclist, and resident of the Riviera, embodies the spirit of Transmission. We joined him on a family outing with his parents and his daughter along the Italian cycle path from Ospedaletti along the Riviera Dei Fiori; three generations riding together and taking in tranquil coastal views towards the Ligurian Sea. Since birth Nery would visit the family house in a small village in the Drôme. A summer tradition, it was here that he learned to walk, to ride a bicycle and, also, to swim. His first trips by bike, barely a year old, were sitting on an old bike seat behind his mother, Corinne, who would climb and descend cols with her baby. Once he learnt to pedal himself the bike was the ultimate tool of discovery, going for rides in the streets of the village by bike. It was around the age of five that he was able to escape on his own to discover the large expanses of countryside, and realise the bike was a magical machine. As he grew, he would take more and more pleasure in learning all the local passes. His father, Joël Nery, noted everyone's times and the goal was to beat his times from the previous summer. ‘That was the first time I felt that competitive impulse to improve, year after year. Cycling was the sport where I understood my physical capabilities. I have vivid memories of racing with my parents, keeping rankings and awarding points to whoever reached the pass first. We even did intermediate sprints; our outings took on a Tour de France twist. It was magical.’ But the practice of cycling has evolved a lot since then. Cycling was Guillaume’s main sport during adolescence but then he discovered freediving. Keeping a relationship with the bike as a training tool, it has been vital to his physical and mental condition for his underwater athleticism. Today he has a whole group of friends who come from freediving who also use cycling as a training tool. During the winters, they cycle together with the idea of diving deeper during the summer period. ‘I see the bicycle as a kind of symbol, a key to open mental as well as physical pathways. There are three main areas I see as the channels for development with the bike: Firstly, the Worship of Effort, because there is a physical effort, a movement. In a world and a society where we seek the idea of ‘progress’ as being in absolute comfort, this is negative. Cycling allows you to put your body back in motion and own your movement. The second area is Organic Energy, a form of slowing down and using the human engine, compared to motorised forms of transport. Cycling is like travelling by foot, only faster. After all, the ‘velocipede’ was designed as that. It’s learning to find a slightly more natural pace of movement, to appreciate life differently. And thirdly is the crucial act of Sharing, cycling is something we do together. [And this is rooted to the Transmission.] The idea of the mutual benefits of this sport, we support each other in difficult moments but we learn to be together, to help each other.’ Today the bicycle for Guillaume is very much a sharing tool, a form of communion. Riding with his daughter, Maï-Lou, and his partner, Audrey, whether it's to travel, to train or to go swimming. It has now become very rare for him to pedal alone. Before he often trained on his own; now it synonymous with friendship and love... ‘It’s my main means of transport in my daily life. The bike really allows us to discover new places, to travel at our own pace. The bicycle is present almost everywhere. I took my daughter on the bike as my mother did with me. As soon as she was two years old, he climbed some hills with his daughter in the baby seat. It is also the way we take her to school. And now she can ride her own bike, she has a taste for cycling, not the performance side but more the discovery aspect. We recently rode together in the Luberon over several days. ‘I think very slowly, something is being born, but I try above all not to force it. It’s about having fun.’ He would like to see that in a few years they go on an adventure for several months together and consolidate with her that beautiful concept of how cycling rhymes with travel and discovery. ‘Through cycling I hope to transmit a certain spirit of curiosity. The bike opens your eyes to the parenthesis you are placed in when travelling by car and plane, even the train restricts your experience… The bike transforms the journey into a source of observation, fascination, curiosity and discovery. I want to pass that on to her, but also give her a taste for effort. Going through all the phases, the difficult moments where you want to give up, the experiences of euphoria, it’s nourishing for the soul and mind and gives great lessons that are useful in everyday life.’ As the family ride stops for lunch, we all sit down. Guillaume’s father, mother and daughter chat and laugh… He looks on looking very contentedly: ‘As I said, I see the bicycle as a kind of symbol.’ Guillaume continues to ride with his parents in the Drôme. He just got his father's old bike out of storage, one that he had ridden as a teenager in the 1960s. Guillaume is going to restore it to its former glory so he can ride it once more. Through the very nature of this object, we find the idea of Transmission. While he goes to make a phone call we ask Corinne, Guillaume’s mother, to share a few words about her son and the bicycle. ‘When he was 14 years old we rode Ventoux. We rode together for a little while and then all of a sudden, he was off disappearing from view, probably overtaking 30 cyclists or more on the way to the top of the climb. He was always riding faster and faster. This pleasure of cycling has never ceased. Today was a very beautiful day, sharing the taste of cycling from generation to generation. It goes even further because Guillaume's grandfather was also a cyclist. 'For me it is the feeling of surpassing oneself. That feeling of freedom and not depending on anyone. On a bike, I rely on my own personal effort. To be detached from all constraints, to be close to nature. It is fantastic. It is the link between all of us as a family, a passion that has kept us bonded together.' READ MORE A Day in the (Sporting) Life of Étienne Hubert. It’s 6:27 am as we approach Étienne Hubert’s front door on the eastern edge of Paris. The professional kayaker and Caravan athlete resides a stone’s throw from Bois de Vincennes, the city’s largest public park. Today, we are here to follow him around as he trains and observe the life of sportsman who will not stop. VIEW MORE No Direction Home : 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. VIEW MORE Guillaume Néry: 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. VIEW MORE 1% for the Planet - Alexia Barrier. We spoke to our Caravan ambassador and professional sailor Alexia Barrier about her 4myplanet enterprise and how Café du Cycliste will be contributing to her future projects through 1% for the Planet. VIEW MORE

A Day in the (Sporting) Life of Étienne Hubert It’s 6:27 am as we approach Étienne Hubert’s front door on the eastern edge of Paris. The professional kayaker and Caravan athlete resides a stone’s throw from Bois de Vincennes, the city’s largest public park. It’s fitting that the 35-year-old is close to this man-made sanctuary of lakes and trees, open fields and recreational facilities. His passion for nature and the outdoors, made growing up in the countryside of the Ardennes, is what makes him so at home out in the water, or when riding his bike. Étienne welcomes us into his abode, a little breakfast and good strong coffee before the first training session of the day. Currently, he is preparing for selection for the French national team and the opportunity to represent the country at the 2024 Olympic Games, in Paris. Today, we are here to follow him around as he trains and observe the life of sportsman who will not stop, despite his advanced age. His coach Philippe describes him as a hardworking athlete with a tremendous ‘engine’, a competitor who takes it to the bitter end, physically and mentally. What transcends and still drives him, is the thirst for competition, to push the limits of his body. But Philippe also describes Étienne’s good-humoured and positive nature, another quality that not only helps him but also his team-mates. ‘His joie de vivre that he brings to the group and in everyday life, it helps a lot.’ Étienne may technically be at home right now, but although he has adapted to life in Paris over the last five years living here, he is much more comfortable out in nature. Luckily, the sun is out today, the temperatures are good, which is rare at this time of year in Paris and the Île-de-France region. We ride out eastwards with the three-time World Championship gold medallist to the Stade Nautique Olympique in Vaires-sur-Marne, the training centre and the place which will host the rowing and canoeing events during the Games in 2024. In annual volume, Étienne does 800 hours of sport. In addition to the kayaking sessions which take up 50% of his time, the rest is devoted to conditioning with cross-country skiing, swimming, running, and of course cycling. Étienne is a great gravel enthusiast and will often take a detour on way home from training. After greeting his team, he leaves to change for session number one. This is in a single-seater kayak (K1) with a warm-up session to awaken the requisite muscles, repeating the range of gestures with accelerations and recovery. Etienne is soon in full flow, perfecting the basics of the single-seater technique. He then performs a cardio warm-up to finish. Going hard but saving a little for session two. This is in a two-seater kayak (K2) with his teammate Steven. This is a more considered task, with time taken to prepare the boat, and work in tandem. This requires a collective dynamic, working on performance and amplitude, and allows you to make the final adjustments, and check the boat before the selections in the coming weeks. A debrief of the two sessions with Philippe will close this beautiful day. The entire Café du Cycliste team wishes Étienne good luck. Further riding Caravan: Étienne Hubert As a World Champion sprint canoeist, cycling has always been a key part of my training routine but also a great way to socialise and explore hidden routes. VIEW MORE A Mont-Blanc Gravel Tour with Etienne Hubert After the last few months of training and the Olympics in Japan, I find myself constantly craving nature. I’ve thought about doing a Gravel tour of Mont Blanc for so long, so this seemed like the perfect time. VIEW MORE Étienne Hubert: Paris by Night Adventure is around every corner on a bike, even in Paris in winter. Olympic canoeist and Caravan member, Étienne Hubert, takes two kayaking veterans on a twilight tour of Paris. VIEW MORE Étienne Hubert – Lake Émosson The professional canoeist and Caravan athlete, Étienne Hubert, is preparing for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where he lives. Part of his process is to take himself away from the metropolis, just him, a tent, his bike and of course, his kayak. VIEW MORE

Étienne Hubert – Lake Émosson When we asked Étienne Hubert, our Caravan athlete, if we could organise a shoot with him he replied ‘guys, I have something you will like.’ And he wasn’t wrong. The 34-year-old Olympic canoeist is preparing for the Paris Games in 2024, almost certainly his last involvement. For this his motivation is intense, his stubbornness intact. Few athletes have the chance to ‘last’ so long on an international circuit. Étienne is one of them. A physical and a mental titan, his lifestyle allows him to compensate for heavy training loads. Nature, wide open spaces, and adventure play a major role in this balance. It is one of these episodes in the middle of nature, minimalist and contemplative, that he invites us to experience for two days. A getaway to Switzerland, at an altitude of 2000m on Lake Émosson. Up here is the space needed to train and prepare while benefiting from the purity of the mountain air. We arrived as the snow was falling in early October, and found a pink kayak more than five meters long, perched next to a small tent And then Étienne appeared, got on his gravel bike, took the kayak on his back and descended to the shores of the lake. The kayak launched, he climbed into it with perfect balance. And off he paddled. FURTHER RIDING Étienne Hubert : An Introduction As a World Champion sprint canoeist, cycling has always been a key part of my training routine but also a great way to socialise and explore hidden routes. VIEW MORE A Mont-Blanc Gravel Tour After the last few months of training and the Olympics in Japan, I find myself constantly craving nature. I’ve thought about doing a Gravel tour of Mont Blanc for so long, so this seemed like the perfect time. VIEW MORE Paris by Night Adventure is around every corner on a bike, even in Paris in winter. Olympic canoeist and Caravan member, Étienne Hubert, takes two kayaking veterans on a twilight tour of Paris. VIEW MORE 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. VIEW MORE

Alba and Michele: From the Farm to the Podium It’s the middle of June 2022, and the heat in Sondrio, a town in the Italian Alps some 30 km from Lake Como, is weighing heavy. Piazza Garibaldi is swathed in full sun, the small narrow streets that join offer shade and an unexpected freshness from the cool stone buildings. The twenty thousand or so inhabitants of the town mostly live in the heart of the Valtellina valley, others live perched on the mountainside in small groups of houses. In the middle of the afternoon, in one of these small hamlets, two individuals dressed from head to toe in strange white overalls and helmets are moving somewhat robotically below an old stone farmhouse. In the meadow, on the edge of a wood, multi-coloured cubes are placed side-by-side on the ground, our two ‘spacemen’ are busy a few meters away at the foot of a tree. A dark spot on one of the lowest branches of a tree seems to be the centre of all their attention, at their feet, one of these coloured boxes. These boxes are, it appears on closer inspection, beehives and the two humanoids are beekeepers. With the high heat, the entire population of a hive chose to up-sticks and settle in the branches of a nearby tree. For two days, the humanoids have been hassling the honeybees to hurry home safely. Their technique is a bizarre ritual for the novices that we are, observing the scene a few meters away. The swarm will eventually fall in one block back into the hive, regaining possession of their home, but until when who knows? We do know though who these two extra-terrestrials really are. We are more accustomed to seeing them in their Italian national team kit, participating in the biggest races in the world, rather than beekeeping. And for those who know the discipline, for those who have already tried ski mountaineering, the title of extra-terrestrial suits them perfectly, dominating the sport in super-human style. Alba di Silvestro and Michele Boscacci both belong to the elite circle of the best in the world on the skimo calendar. When we talk about their success, both humbly temper our remarks. Perhaps because the mountain has always encouraged humility, perhaps because they are not quick to show off. Happier to be busy with their bees. These two athletes display an astonishing serenity: Alba and Michele share everything, in life and in their training schedule. "When we run in the mountains, we start together, after a while I accelerate, I go up a little higher than Alba and then we meet again when I come down..." says Michele. For having followed them on their bikes up the Stelvio Pass, the two are not really laughing in training, to say the least. Michele explains to us that his father, the equally famous Graziano Boscacci, still takes care of his physical preparation. “In my entire career, I have never injured myself. I ask my father for advice when there are moments when my form dips, then we ease off a bit in training, we reduce the load while waiting for the tiredness to fade”. A simple secret of an indisputable success, at the world level Alba is the third best skier, Michele quite simply the best in 2022. They command huge respect. Graziano, the village carpenter, did not only transmit his passion for ski mountaineering to his son, Michele inherited from him the love of the land. Six years ago, Michele built a barn to put three cows in. The three cows have since turned into a small herd. Proud of his allotment, he takes us on a tour of the barn where the magnificent animals feed. In winter, when the competitions are in full swing, it is Michele's grandfather who comes to tend to the cows. And Alba too has been dedicated to her herd of bees since last spring. No less than 11 hives are at her disposal, enough to ensure a production of just over 200 kg of honey per year! “A friend started keeping bees and I liked the idea. She offered me some online training, and my new passion was born.” Living alongside the bees and the cows, the couple operates 12 hectares of land, dedicated to the cultivation of organic produce. Seeing Alba's smile at the wheel of the tractor, we understand that they adapt well to this farming life. Far from being a hindrance on their professional sporting careers, it even seems to be an integral part of their balance. In a few months, the snow will cover the farm, the bees of Alba will join forces to raise the temperature in the hive and survive winter, the cows of Michele will come down from the pastures and find the warmth of the barn. At the same time, our two farmers will begin competing, skis on their feet this time, at the biggest skimo races in the world, channelling their inner animal instinct. FURTHER RIDING Passo dello Stelvio Passo dello Stelvio’s switchbacks are to the road rider, professional or amateur, mythically charged, intimidating yet alluring, devilishly tough yet heaven-scented. VIEW MORE Michele Boscacci Alongside skiing, my other passion has been MTB and now road riding. I use riding my bike as pre-season training and I train with Alba a lot on the bike; it allows us to spend time together and have fun whilst still ‘working’ at our own pace. VIEW MORE Alba de Silvestro For me there’s only one difference between cycling and skimo, it’s just the season. One is for winter and the other is for summer. VIEW MORE Anton Krupicka: Mount Blue Sky Mount Blue Sky sits at an elevation of 14,265 feet (4,348m) above sea level. The road to the summit happens to be the highest paved road in North America and presents a pretty compelling opportunity to cyclists. VIEW MORE

No Direction Home : Bike-packing in the Balkans In 2020, we crossed part of the Alps and the Vercors. Last year, we crossed through the Pyrenees and bathed in the Atlantic Ocean 12 days later. Bike-packing adventures have become a summer tradition it seems, and this year Audrey wanted something beyond France. She dreams of the Balkans that she had glimpsed after too short an incursion in the past. The Balkans for me are a mixture of Tintin in King Ottokar's Sceptre and the first pages of The Use of the World by Nicolas Herdsman. (I need these small touches of symbolism to frame the journey in my head.) We will leave from Kalamata in Greece, where I’ve made some of my deepest dives and which offered me the world champion title 11 years ago. Looking at our route on the map, which heads northwest into Albania and across to Italy via ferry, I find myself imagining we will ride all the way home to Nice. But we only have four weeks of this scorching summer with fully loaded bikes to live the itinerant life. Audrey is more realistic: ‘we will go as far as we can.’ The first days are, as always, devoted to finding our rhythm, taming our mounts garlanded with luggage. Audrey relies on the traditional large rear panniers while I venture with a configuration of six different packs spread over the entire frame. We complete the first stages through the hilly Peloponnese peninsula with an average of around 90 km per day, avoiding the main roads. Our main enemy is the heat, so we adapt our schedule every day. 4:30 am is wake-up call. Then we cycle until 12 pm. We take our positions again for two hours as the sun goes down, if the heart and the legs allow it. It takes us six days to reach Ioanina, the last Greek city before Albania. After discovering Greece, we will remember our night on the mountainside sleeping against a chapel; the crossing of the Gulf of Corinth on the monumental Rion-Antirion bridge (which was once the largest suspension bridge in the world); the late arrival in the streets of lively Messolonghi; my fall on the coccyx in the suburbs of Arta on Audrey's birthday; the impromptu naps on the tiled floors of village taverns; and the Greek salads on every menu. In Ioanina, we enjoy our first day of rest. We sleep a lot, visit the citadel, Audrey gets her hair cut, and we both ingest litres of water in which we immerse electrolytes to restore vitamins and minerals We hit the road again and arrive at the border, so we soak up the last Hellenic flavours and shout ‘efcharistó’ and ‘kaliméra’ to one and all. Albania, here we come. Sometimes this border crossing is only an administrative formality and only the suddenly different arrangement of the letters on advertising posters makes it possible to authenticate it. This time, the landscape does not lie. Entry into Albania is through the heart of a wide and arid valley, bordered by vast mountain slopes with regular crests. It seems to us that everywhere is crushed beneath the summer furnace, and we feel it on our bones too. The greens have been yellowed from the heat. All the cars are taking the direction of the Albanian Riviera, so we decide to head to the mountains for deserted roads and hopefully a little freshness. The next day we have lunch at a restaurant in Këlcyrë after a morning of riding alongside a wide meandering river. Before leaving, we ask the manager for confirmation on the route to take as the GPS does not want us to follow the SH74 road, which is clearly designated as a main artery on the map, and which promises a spectacular landscape. ‘No good.’ After checking on the internet (it will have been necessary to consult a site specialized in dangerous roads in the world) indeed it’s not good at all. We are faced with a difficult choice: to either turn back and take the big national route that will allow us to cross Albania in three days and then head to Italy via a ferry (an option that would allow us to survive a little longer the tiny hope of reaching Nice by bike) or choose to branch off towards the SH75 road which sends us to the forgotten corners of the Albanian mountains. This choice reveals to us the unexpected, the abandonment of a geographical purpose to our journey. It frees us. Our pedal strokes soften, and our luggage becomes lighter. The adventure takes on its purest essence, the unknown. I begin to envision that our roaming might take us into the deepest darkest depths of the Balkans. Audrey is jubilant about this turnaround. It took just 10 days for us to agree on an itinerary. We meet the soul of the country, and tackle terrain that makes us appreciate all the nuances of riding in the wild and cherish the wide tires of our gravel bikes. We make an incursion into Macedonia, another into Kosovo and each time we return into Albania, the common thread of our journey. We will approach the border with Montenegro in the Albanian Alps. The chiselled relief exhausts us and when we get closer again to the Mediterranean that we have almost forgotten, three weeks have passed, more than 1400 km are displayed on the clock and the twilight of our journey is announced. We wanted to finish in Nice, then in Rome, then in Montenegro, and finally it will be Durrës. Durrës is the main port on the Albanian coast from where ferries leave for Italy. It was an obligatory passage, considered for a long time as the link between the two phases of our expedition. When we landed in Albania, we could have been there in three days. We were heartbroken to not ride in Italy, but we would have completely missed this intense, warm, diverse country of ‘Shqipëria’. The heart of Durrës seems rich, but we only stop at a mini market to acquire drinks and other local sweets for the upcoming 17h ferry and 10h train journey home. We can't wait to see where next summer’s adventure takes us. FURTHER RIDING 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. VIEW MORE Bikepacking in the Pyrenees Each summer, I set off on an adventurous trip with good friends who are up for a challenge. Last year, we bikepacked through the Alps and this year we tackled the Pyrenees. VIEW MORE Alba and Michele Alba and Michele both belong to the elite circle of the best in the world on the skimo calendar. When we talk about their success, both humbly temper our remarks. Perhaps because they are happier to be busy with their bees. VIEW MORE Anton Krupicka Mount Blue Sky sits at an elevation of 14,265 feet (4,348m) above sea level. The road to the summit happens to be the highest paved road in North America and presents a pretty compelling opportunity to cyclists. VIEW MORE

Mount Blue Sky Mount Blue Sky, formerly Mount Evans, sits at an elevation of 14,265 feet (4,348m) above sea level. A paved road traces the contours of a nearby ridge, ultimately bringing visitors up to the proud summit from its southeastern flank. The road happens to be the highest paved road in North America and, while I’m not an advocate for more pavement on high peaks, the road’s existence presents a pretty compelling opportunity to cyclists. A tarmac track up to 14k’ begs to be ridden. While many choose to start the route from Idaho Springs—which, with its 7,000’ (2,130m) climb in just 28 miles (48km) is itself a formidable ride, and also the course for an iconic Colorado road race, the Mount Evans Hill Climb—my partner, Anton, and I opted to pedal from our doorstep, in Boulder. In part motivated by the shared appeal of a long day out together, and in part because summer is short and it's these full-day adventures that carry you through winter, we left home at 5:30am with 72mi (116km) and 14,000’ (4,267m) of elevation gain between us and the summit. Of course, afterwards, there would also be the matter of getting home. Our route up combined scenic dirt and iconic Colorado pavement. With hardly any warm-up we tackled the precipitous, paved switchbacks of Magnolia Road (with the steepest pitch clocking in at 18%) to gain its gravel rollers and a few fast miles on the Peak to Peak Highway backed by sweeping views of the Indian Peaks. From there it was onto some shady dirt with a sustained climb up and over Gamble Gulch, a buzz through Central City to surf unsealed surfaces on the (appropriately and aspirationally named) Oh My God Road before a well-earned drop into the old mining outpost-turned tourist trap, Idaho Springs. It was here that we both felt like we were finally getting into the meat of the ride. Getting into cycling has resulted in me spending more time lounging outside of gas stations, encircled with junk food and cold drinks, than I would have ever predicted, say, ten years ago. At an Idaho Springs gas station (that has become a comfortingly familiar outpost on long rides), we lounged on the curb, finding our second wind for the second half of the climb in the form of canned coffee and commercial pastries. While the stop was rejuvenating, we were also both eager to get on with the business of climbing Blue Sky itself. The last 28 miles were punctuated by a quick ice cream stop halfway up, after adding the 3100’ (950m) climb up Chicago Creek to our legs, at the Echo Lake Lodge. The remaining 14 miles of pavement quickly brought us above treeline and to traverse the northeast aspect of the ridge before threading a low point in the horizon to continue winding along the mountain’s southern aspect. As is typical this time of year, there was a stiff breeze out of the west, which acted as a steady headwind until we crossed the ridge to gain the shelter of the southern side. We rode alongside snowbanks, alternately gazing down at tundra slopes and alpine lakes below and taking in the splendor of the Black Wall, an alpine rock climbing destination that falls from the ridge like a dark curtain in the near distance. Mountain goats studded the talus hillsides alongside the road as we continued to tick off the miles. A series of switchbacks guards the last four miles to the summit; with each turn the wind changed its favor, alternating between a demoralizing headwind and a spirit-lifting tailwind pushing us up the climb. We reached the top just before 4:30pm, in thin air, swirling wind, and abundant sun. The trade-off for the relative ease of riding access that pavement allows is the circus of automobile visitors all eager to share the summit. The views from the top of Mount Blue Sky are wild, in the sense of the scale that a 14,000-foot perspective affords, but there should be no delusion that the summit itself is any longer part of its surrounding wilderness. The double-edged nature of the road up is that, with accessibility, comes an inherent unwilding. But, given that Colorado is home to nearly 60 14ers (peaks above 4,267m), granting the masses easy access to two peaks (Blue Sky, and Pikes Peak with its auto road and cog train) seems like a small concession. After waiting in the queue to have our photo snapped in front of the sign, we started the long—and long-awaited—downhill home. To close the loop, we opted for the picturesque ridgeline along Mestaa’ėhehe Pass Road—surely one of Colorado’s all-time paved descents. The wind, which had continued playing its game of friend or foe for much of the descent, fortunately landed on being our friend for the short climb to gain the ridge below Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain. From there, it truly was a flying 55-mile descent home. Further Riding Anton Krupicka I enjoy the adventure of cycling, especially bike packing, the multi-day trips. For me though, it’s just being in the outdoors, seeing beautiful landscapes and using your body. VIEW MORE Farwell to Winter It is said that the ride should be about the journey, not the destination. However, for Anton Krupicka and Hailey Moore, a recent trip in the Colorado mountains proved it’s about both. VIEW MORE Coins Cachés: Boulder, Colorado Nestled on the eastern aspect of the foothills of the Colorado Rockies, the city of Boulder (population ~100,000) is a unique and idyllic hub for outdoor recreation—including cycling. VIEW MORE A Traverse Across the Pyrenees Each summer, I set off on an adventurous trip with good friends who are up for a challenge. Last year, we bikepacked through the Alps and this year we tackled the Pyrenees. VIEW MORE

CARAVAN : PASSO DELLO STELVIO Passo dello Stelvio’s switchbacks are to the road rider, professional or amateur, mythically charged, intimidating yet alluring, devilishly tough yet heaven-scented. From the images broadcast on TV at the Giro d’Italia and imagery past and present in black and white and online in digital high definition, it beams its magic far and wide. Could a man-made road be as beautiful as the grand duomos and cathedrals of Europe? Utter the name Stelvio to any passionate cyclist and you’ll see the sparks of devotion in their eyes. People from all over the world come to climb its dizzying slopes, to propel themselves at varying speeds to an altitude of 2578 metres…from Asia to America, Stockholm to Sydney. A great test, and a major badge of honour. Our Caravan athletes, pro alpinist skiers Alba de Silvestro and Michele Boscacci, are not unfamiliar with this giant of European climbs. The couple swap their skis for bikes during the summer months, and living just an hour’s drive from Bormio, where the pass begins its ascent, the Stelvio is a great training location. But they don’t tackle this majestic climb purely for training. Michele often participates in the Re Stelvio hill climb event, a 21km test from Bormio to the summit. And, unsurprisingly for a world cahmpion skimo athlete, he’s beaten the ‘pure’ cyclists by winning it with a time of 1:06:13. Considering the pros race up in in just a little less time (the KOM is currently 1:00:56) you can see why Michele is at home in the mountains. Today, Alba and Michele reached the summit together in less than an hour and a half. Watching them climb they made it look easy, with no signs of suffering, just a little bit of sweat and handsome Italian grit. Both cruised to the top amongst a circus of fast cars, noisy motorcycles and other bicycles. Passed by a couple of pro riders coming to get some climbing in the legs before the second part of the season, Alba and Michele kept them in their sights right up to the crest. It’s a champions’ game, and they are true champions of their environment. As Alba says, ‘there’s only one difference between cycling and skimo, it’s just the season – one is for winter and the other is for summer.’ Despite the beauty of the Passo dello Stelvio, the excitement of climbing in such scenery happens to be disturbed by the engine noises, ruining the feeling of freedom and disconnection that mountain passes can offer the rider. Stelvio’s fame is perhaps its downfall as a riding destination sometimes. Still, like Alpe d’Huez or Ventoux, it’s one that must be ticked off the list. There are plenty of other options for riding in this part of the world too. ‘It’s not a bad place to train in the off-season’ says Michele. Cyclists and motorcycles share the summit’s facilities, stopping to capture a picture or two of the breath-taking views below (as if your breath wasn’t already taken enough). Alba and Michele freewheel past the restaurant terraces and head for the best option for refuelling – the German sausage sandwich: fatty carbohydrates to add weight for the long slalom back down. Extra layers and gloves are always required up at this height, as the combination of gravity and Alpine winds can often be freezing on the body and hands. Michele and Alba push on down the Stelvio’s slopes with a rhythm that tells you their technique is well-conditioned from hundreds of hours spent in the mountains. They descend with grace and style, picking their lines and holding steady. Onwards to their next destination, Lago di Cancano for some extra climbing. For these champion athletes, the work is not yet done. FURTHER RIDING Étienne Hubert: Paris by Night. Adventure is around every corner on a bike, even in Paris in winter. Olympic canoeist and Caravan member, Étienne Hubert, takes two kayaking veterans on a twilight tour of Paris. VIEW MORE A Mont-Blanc Gravel Tour with Etienne Hubert. After the last few months of training and the Olympics in Japan, I find myself constantly craving nature. I’ve thought about doing a Gravel tour of Mont Blanc for so long, so this seemed like the perfect time. VIEW MORE Guillaume Néry: A Traverse Across the Pyrenees Each summer, I set off on an adventurous trip with good friends who are up for a challenge. Last year, we bikepacked through the Alps and this year we tackled the Pyrenees. VIEW MORE Anton Krupicka: Farwell to Winter It is said that the ride should be about the journey, not the destination. However, for Anton Krupicka and Hailey Moore, a recent trip in the Colorado mountains proved it’s about both. VIEW MORE

Michele Boscacci I’m from Albosaggia in Lombardia and started skiing at the age of six. My father, Graziano, was a professional so naturally I followed in his tracks. He used to pull me along by a rope for practice. I really inherited his passion for the mountains and skiing early on, going to watch him race, enthralled by the landscapes, the atmosphere and the racing. I took part in my first races at the age of 14, which led to being selected to race for Italy, in 2008, a year after my father retired from the national team. Dad still trains with me and races now and then. He is very much central to my coaching, advising me as a professional skimo racer. Skimo (or ski mountaineering) will become an Olympic event in 2026, and it’s taking place here in Italy. Of course, this is something I’m very focussed towards, but I’m perhaps a little too old for the sprint discipline which this will be. For the explosive power you need, the younger guys are usually better, but we shall see. I’m just happy to be competing in the beautiful mountains. Of course, winning is a special feeling, but as long as the vibe is right and I’m enjoying it, that’s all I need. 2022 has been a good year for me, winning at Pierra Menta for the third time, and becoming world champion. It was also fantastic to see Alba [Michele’s wife and fellow Caravan athlete] win Patrouille des Glaciers this year. Especially as I finished in second place there in my race! Alongside skiing, my other passion has been MTB and now road riding. Again, my father brought me into this sport during the summer months when we cannot ski. I use riding my bike as pre-season training, and some summers would only ride my mountain bike. No running or anything else… Now I mix running and riding with high intensity workouts. I won a vertical running event recently, but I will leave the Ultra Marathon events for now. But the bike is the most fun, of course. I’m going to compete in some hill races in the Dolomites as I usually do quite well. I also train with Alba a lot on the bike; it allows us to spend time together and have fun whilst still ‘working’ at our own pace. We also run a farm together, including 23 cows and a bee colony. instagram @micheleboscacci strava Michele Boscacci “ WHERE I RIDE? The Dolomites is where I enjoy riding and sometimes racing uphill, such as the Stelvio or Gavia passes. For downhill MTB too the Dolomites is a beautiful playground. ” “ WHAT I RIDE? I grew up riding MTB, but now compete for training and fun on the road. I also train with Alba a lot on the bike; it allows us to spend time together and have fun whilst still ‘working’ at our own pace. ” “ WHY I RIDE? Alongside skiing, my other passion has been MTB and now road riding. Again, my father brought me into this sport during the summer months when we cannot ski. I use riding my bike as pre-season training, and some summers would only ride my bike. ” RELATED STORIES BIKE TO SKI At 1600m up, deep within the Mercantour National Park, surrounded by snow-covered peaks, the pick-up truck is being loaded two by two. VIEW MORE SUMMIT SYMPHONY What better way to finish the winter season on the Côte d'Azur than by combining hours in the saddle with a day in the snow on two skis. VIEW MORE Tackling Kühtai, a Tyrolian wonder Snow has just started to whiten the top of Kühtai - a mountain which holds a special place in my heart and the perfect location for a pre-ski season climb. VIEW MORE BACK TO THE CARVAN