Alésien Sébastien Esbalin completes the ultra-distance cycling race of the Biking man Aura

Sébastien Esbalin lors de l'épreuve qui s'est achevée sur le plateau du Vercors. B.M. – B.M.

On July 21, after 3.5 days of racing, the Alésien completed this legendary event in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, starting from Villard-de-Lans (38). He gives an intimate account of it, during which he evokes the feelings, sometimes contrasting, of this extraordinary long-distance adventure…

With nearly 1,000 km of distance in autonomy, an elevation gain of 18,000 meters, equipped with a 14.2 kg bike supporting all the equipment, Sébastien Esbalin faced rain, fog, technical problems, falls…
But nothing that came to undermine the morale of this athlete so proud to have heard the bell signaling the arrival within the allotted time (120 hours), supported by his partner Aurore, his son Lo Ris and his loved ones. And this rare feeling of having ” disconnected” during this long-distance event, experienced rare emotions where suffering leads to deliverance.

Sunday July 21 at 12:00 p.m., I took the start in Villards de Lans, of the BikingMan Origine Aura event to cover 1,000 km with 18,000 meters of elevation gain with a time set at 120 hours. I did a long preparation in the Cévennes, completely focused on this physical challenge with the ultimate goal of hearing the famous bell that characterizes the mountains as an arrival. I quickly felt at ease during the bike checks and the mandatory checklist. The organizers welcome you with a family, friendly sense or sharing of our regions take place.

I was proud to represent the Cévennes for this event which promised to be exciting

I was proud to represent the Cévennes for this event which promised to be exciting for self-discovery, the regions to cross (Vercors, Loire, Ardèche, Lozère, Auvergne, Aubrac and finally Cantal). I do the mandatory weighing of the bike, which is 14.2 kg, which includes all the necessary equipment (food, hydration, survival kit, lighting, etc.) The starting signal is given in waves of 20 people and here I am, off in unfavorable weather with rain, fog and cold…

I am ready to face this weather having also trained in these conditions, night begins to fall and I do everything to reach as quickly as possible the CP1 located in Saint-Agrève at the 214 km of race with a total d + of 4,500 meters, because my lamp has not ensured its waterproofing and shows serious signs of weakness, I do not panic and I tell myself, I must find a different strategy for the nights to come… At the arrival of CP1, I take the opportunity to eat a good hot meal, chat with the Race Angels and rest for two hours to set off again afterwards.
This capricious weather will continue until Monday 10am, when I pass Mont Gerbiers des Joncs without seeing its beauty, the fog and the cold have set in. I take a lunch break at La Bastide where I finally feel relieved the weather is starting to clear up. I head back towards Aubrac where I enjoy this improbable nature, stopping when I see springs to manage the food and do a bit of washing… I decide to continue to CP2 which is in Saint-Flour, i.e. 297 km with a D + of this stage of 4,650 meters.

I arrive at CP2 at 9 p.m., I eat and chat with the other ultra-cyclists, I have to find a participant who leaves in three hours because I have no more lights, done here I go again.

The third part will be the most difficult, I have to do 310 km with a cumulative d + of 5,470 meters, I had this stage in my head since the start and I knew it would be the hardest, I put myself under “pressure” by wanting to reach the next checkpoint around 10 p.m. I cross the Pas de Peyrol pass, linking the famous Grand Site de France Puy Mary pass – Volcan du Cantal. As I approach the end, I hear someone encouraging me, and then I feel the most improbable sensation, it's my friend David Guintoli who is there, I didn't know, a rare intense moment, a motivation detonator for this day that was announced to be the most difficult. I climb the summit and stop at the mountain restaurant for lunch, it will be blueberry tart and hot chocolate.

We discuss our lives, our daily lives, our regions, our countries, ultra distance is also that too

I take the opportunity to give news to family, relatives, friends, well not impossible in a burst of lack of lucidity I block my phone while doing three times in a row a bad SIM card code, here I am in a real mess… I leave again and I fall at the start of the descent, I can't get up, my shoe hasn't come off, I take off my shoes as best I can, I check the equipment and my bodywork Lol everything is almost ok. I'm leaving again.

And I hear this long-awaited sound of « the bell »

I stop in a village to sort out my phone problems, I take the opportunity to eat, everything is ok, I leave again. I enjoy this wonderful Cantal that I didn't know, I sometimes stop to chat with the farmers, it's a total escape. I look at the estimated time to arrive at CP3, it's going to be difficult to keep to it, I wait more than 30 minutes in a pass with no lighting and waiting for a participant. It's done, I set off again at a slower pace and I tell myself that it's perhaps not so bad. I arrive at CP3 at 4:30 in the morning, we took the wrong tracks several times but the main thing is done.

The last 181 km route with 3,450 m of elevation gain seems like a formality to arrive and hear the “finishing bell” but I remain very focused. This last section will be a part where I fully enjoy the landscapes, the participants, we drink some beer during stops, we exchange on our lives, our daily life, our regions, our countries, the ultra distance is also that too.

I would have learned a lot humanly, sportingly

I arrive in Villard de Lans – Corrençon en Vercors, with a lot of inner emotion….  A colleague Yaya Yaya who finished ahead of me is waiting for me and encouraging me, he tells me you did it! And I hear that much-awaited sound of « the bell ». At that moment, I feel emotions that I had never experienced in sport… It's done, it's over but I also tell myself that I have traveled through regions marked by the contrast of the Massif Central, its volcanic zones, the high granite plateaus and incredible forests and plateaus. I had planned to do this event before the 5-day limit, I would have completed it in 3.5 days.

I take advantage of this summary to thank my partner Aurore Martinet, my son Lo Ris, family, friends, colleagues. I would have learned a lot humanly, sportingly, and I send a special wink to Sébastien Berlier who prepared me in every way… To Yannick Rougier for his advice and to David Guintoli for this beautiful moment. I would like to end by warmly thanking Axel Carion and the entire team of the biking man, you made me « disconnect on many points ». I will let you discover this adventure in pictures.

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