The Café athlete’s first love was cross-country ski-ing, and he made his name in trail running, but he’s pretty handy on a bike too… we caught up with him to hear about his victory in the Race Across Switzerland and dig into the similarities and differences between the two endurance disciplines.

What made you want to swap your trail shoes for a bike and take on a challenge like the Race Across Switzerland?

My trail season didn't go as planned, as I had to undergo emergency knee surgery in May. I was originally supposed to take part in Race Across Belgium in May, between two major trail races, so I adapted my schedule following the operation. I was just two months post-op and recovering well, which gave me the opportunity to take part in this great race in Switzerland before getting back to more serious trail-specific rehabilitation and training over the coming days.

Can you tell us how the race went? Was it what you expected?

It went really well, exactly as I'd imagined – days like that don’t happen often! I completed the 451 kilometres and 10,000 metres of elevation gain without any physical or mechanical issues, and everything went according to the race plan I'd set myself. I paced myself carefully from a physical point of view so that I could put in a solid performance over the second half, and I'm really happy that worked out. I was genuinely able to enjoy the day, the adventure, the scenery, the beautiful roads and the great sensations I had throughout the race.

Did you approach this adventure with a competitive mindset or more as an exploration?

A bit of both, I'd say! It's an ultra race and, by definition, ultra-distance is an adventure – an exploration of the country, the terrain and yourself. It's very different from a four- or five-hour race where you're much more focused on racing your competitors. Over twenty hours of effort, you first have to concentrate on yourself, your pacing, your race strategy and your management before you can really start "playing" with the other riders.

What was really nice about this race was that everything was completely new to me – I didn't know any of the roads. That meant I had to stay very focused on navigation (there's no course marking, just GPS) and prepare my route sheet properly beforehand so I knew the villages, mountain passes and key points along the course.

As a trail runner, which habits or skills proved most useful during an ultra-distance cycling event?

I think I know my body well enough to manage both my pace and physiological data, such as heart rate, as well as my nutrition. In fact, it's much easier to eat properly on a bike. Managing stops and equipment is also something I've learned through trail running that really helped me during this race. That's what’s cool about ultra-endurance events: so many different factors come into play when it comes to overall performance – I love this mix of the physical, logistical, material and mental preparation required both before and during the race. You also have to be able to adapt to whatever unexpected situations arise (like arriving at the life base and realising I'd forgotten my main front light for the night section!).

Conversely, what aspects forced you to start from scratch?

I wouldn't say from scratch, because I've been cycling and going on bike adventures for a very long time, so it's not a discipline I learned simply to pin on a race number. That said, I've only been training with a power meter for a few months, which allows me to regulate my effort (and avoid going too hard!) during those crucial first few hours of racing.

In trail running, you know your body inside out. Do the sensations feel the same on the bike?

The overall sensations of ultra-endurance are very similar, yes. The biggest difference is muscular. I find climbing easier in trail running than on a bike after several hours, but I have ten times less leg pain on the bike because there's no impact. After 451 kilometres and 10,000 metres of climbing, I didn't have any muscle soreness in my legs at all, whereas spending the same amount of time racing on foot would completely destroy your body!

That said, I love the feeling of flow that develops after several hours in both disciplines. It's a really enjoyable sensation. I feel like I've found my rhythm and could just keep going for a very long time.

Is endurance ultimately the same regardless of the sport, or does each discipline have its own specific form of resilience?

Each discipline has its own specific demands, its own forms of discomfort, its own challenges and its own requirements when it comes to sustaining effort over time. For example, on the bike, maintaining your position can sometimes be difficult, leading to muscular pain in your back or tingling sensations, whereas that's not an issue at all when running. On the other hand, the eccentric muscle work involved in running requires a very particular kind of resilience that's completely unnecessary on the bike. But the endorphins that put us into that state of "grace" are exactly the same!

What was the weirdest thing that happened to you during those 451 kilometres?

At night, the biggest danger isn't the traffic – it's the animals. Around kilometre 330, in the middle of the night, I witnessed a chase between two cats that ended up right on the road I was riding along. They were just as surprised as I was! I happened to be putting my jacket away and riding one-handed at the time. I slammed on the brakes and locked up my rear wheel. Fortunately, no harm done for any of the three of us, but my adrenaline levels definitely spiked – it certainly woke me up!

If you could only keep one item of the kit to finish the Race Across Switzerland, which one would you choose, and why?

Gosh, it’s hard to choose just one item. But I’d say my Audax ‘long-distance’ combo of my jersey and cargo cycling shorts, which let me carry loads in the pockets, something that’s really handy on very long rides, whilst being incredibly comfortable. I didn’t have any chafing or pain with this combo. It was incredible, just like wearing pyjamas!

Our Audax collection is designed for long distances. Discover it here.