Geoffrey tells

The Excitement of Departure: An Adventure (Almost) into the Unknown
On the day of departure, the excitement was palpable. Surrounded by other passionate cyclists, all ready to take on this challenge. Having completed the Ultra Verne in 2023 (565 km) With 11,500 meters of elevation gain, I'm not exactly going into completely uncharted territory, except that it was a two-person challenge and the time windows were a bit more flexible. Here, we'll have to complete everything in under 34 hours, which doesn't leave (much) room for the unexpected or an off day...

The unexpected, precisely!
The start was a group effort, and in good spirits, which is worth noting. We came primarily seeking a shared experience, and sharing the first few kilometers together is always enjoyable. The Col de Menté naturally thinned the field, and we were down to just 3 or 4 of us for the final stretch of the valley leading to the Port de Balès. While I've been managing my race quite well so far, Never above 200 watts on the climbs to really conserve energy for this demanding first part of the course (almost 9,000 meters of elevation gain over the first 280 kilometers). Five kilometers from the summit, my chain got stuck in the cassette, something that had never happened to me before. I stopped to fix it, but as soon as I started riding again, it broke. Alan came to my aid, and thanks to his chain tool, I was able to continue. This first setback not only cost me precious time but also planted a seed of doubt in my mind.

Cycling, a school of humility
Cycling is a rollercoaster. Sometimes you ride a lot, you think you'll be exhausted, but actually everything's fine. Sometimes it's the opposite; it's not an exact science. After the beautiful descent from the Port de Balès, we head straight for the Col de Peyresourde. The heat is stifling, and we haven't really had time to adjust this year. For the first time, I get cramps. Broken chain, cramps, heat—my pace slows considerably, and I'm constantly stopping on this climb, which isn't actually that daunting.

My mind starts racing, and my mental resources aren't there. My engine is empty, both physically and mentally.The broken chain was merely a harbinger of a (predicted?) rout...

I've come to terms with the fact that abandoning the race is the only option. There have been other successes this season, and that's part of cycling; it should remain a pleasure. And besides, you don't owe anyone anything. There's a kind of wisdom in abandoning the race, in the clarity of thought and the ability to simply know when to stop. No justification is possible because ultimately, it all belongs to you...

The Lessons, and theUBF
There are positive aspects to this experience. There are regrets, of course, because the roads and mountain passes were superb. But there's also a desire to return, perhaps for another event, or another format, maybe again as a duo, as I enjoyed that. Or perhaps in a different way, without time constraints or limitations, simply for the pleasure of the journey.

Your motivations are your own and there are plenty of reasons to pursue your passion regardless of the field or format.

That said, I can only recommend the Ultra Bike France events, which offer accessible formats with 200 and 300km in various regions of France (Jura, Ardèche, Vosges, Pyrenees...) you will not be disappointed.

Flora Tells a Story

Friday the 19th

The day before the race, we went to set up camp in Aspet, which is right at the start of the course we'll be starting on Saturday morning. We wanted to get our legs moving a bit, so we did a short 20km reconnaissance ride towards the Col de la Mente. This gave us a good idea of ​​how challenging it is before we reached the foot of this first real climb for me on my 200km journey.

At the end of the day, we headed to Saint Gaudens to meet Jean-Marc and Hubert who were setting up the gymnasium where everything would take place during the weekend.

We're finalizing our preparations for this challenge (recharging batteries, checking water points along the route, uploading the map, sandwiches). Kiri or peanut butter...). The advantage with my setup is that I travel light: 2 panniers (one top tube) with mostly food, One of the participants is equipped with a windbreaker, vest, gloves, and lights (just in case). The briefing begins, followed by a pasta party. This provides an opportunity to chat with the participants.

Saturday 20

D-Day!

Here we are, a little apprehensive about setting off on such a long journey and at the same time The succession of stays such as the Brigade Training Course or the RGA makes me put things into perspective.

Departure is at 8am. We're all leaving together. I'm trying to stay with Geoffrey as long as possible before he sets off on his 500km journey. My goal The plan is to stay in the pack until the climb up La Mente, where I'll then ride at my own pace. It's nice to ride in a group for a bit before spending the rest of the day alone.

The Menthol covered 11 km at an average gradient of 6%.The view is amazing and the road is full of twists and turns. It's cool to watch and see if you're being overtaken. Julien Rabbier catches up to me with his friend and we keep crossing paths throughout the entire route.

At the summit, I meet Hubert who's been looking after Django all day. What a dog's life.

The descent It's incredible with all those hairpin bends, full of cyclists! We arrive at Saint Béa and from there there are many country roads, long straight stretches with a series of bends. with the original village names Bizous, Mascars, Pouyastruc... before arriving at Hèches where we climb the Col de Coupe. Riding over these 90 km And so on. I still felt good because the super Kiri and peanut butter sandwiches really helped. It was the next climb, Couret d'Asque, which took me to the hamlet of Couret (not listed on the tracking apps), that made me wince because I was restricting my water intake. Luckily, there was plenty to refill at the summit. One more challenge remains, the Col des Palomières, before reaching Bagnères-de-Bigorre where I stopped for lunch. at Octave's! This last collar was the one I liked the least because it wasn't particularly The view faded, and then fatigue slowly set in. It was time to take a break.

At Octave's, you receive a warm welcome; I even got a little VIP tour with Rémi. Appetite It's not much, but I need to regain my strength. I won't stay long because I don't want to get cold either.

From here, I have two more climbs of 6 kilometers each. They're easy going, but fatigue is causing me to get stuck on both climbs. Luckily For me, with a more rolling profile, I only have flat sections left, so I was able to string them together. averaging 30 km/h towards the end, I finished this beautiful 200km route in 9 hours and 48 minutes of travel time. 10 hours and 50 minutes in total. I'm very happy to have had this experience, to have chatted with the other participants along the way, and to have been able to take part in one of the challenges. UBF. Why not a new format next year?

Collaboration UBF x MATCHY
Using the Matchy code MATCHY#UBF You will also get a 10% discount on one of their upcoming editions!

It's also an opportunity to test our outfits in the most difficult conditions.

Geoffrey's outfit:

- Altitude Bib Shorts

- Altitude jersey (short sleeves during the day and long sleeves at night)

- undershirt

- Aero socks

- Vest and other accessories in the frame bag.

Flora's outfit:

- Altitude chocolate cycling shorts

- Pure Macchiato Jersey

- Aero socks

Looking forward to discussing ultra-distance running or clothing options with you.

Flora & Geoffrey