Partner of the UBF Pyrenees Centrals

A little context A month ago we had an appointment in St Gaudens to take the start of theUBF (Ultra Bike France). 200m format for Flore and 500m for me. At the controls ofUBF, Hubert and Jean-Marc, ultra runners and cycling enthusiasts like us. The exchanges and communication with them have always been good and above all friendly, so it's only natural that we collaborate together. You may have met Hubert at the 500kms des Géants a few days ago! Geoffrey tells UBF Central Pyrenees: At the Heart of the TrialTaking the start of a race that boasts 12,500 m of elevation gain over 500 km is something that inevitably comes with apprehension! I had prepared myself mentally and physically, knowing that it would be one of the biggest challenges of the season, after Traka and Millau in gravel, Lyon-Geneva in a night ultra and the numerous criteriums for the pleasure of rubbing and attacking more than raising the arms :) 6500 km on the clock and more than 80000 m of elevation gain since January, on paper the job was done. On paper only... The Excitement of Departure: An Adventure (Almost) into the UnknownOn 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 kms with 11,500 meters of elevation gain I'm not completely stepping into the unknown), except that it was a duo and the time windows were a little more flexible. Here, you'll have to complete everything in less than 34 hours, which doesn't leave (too much) room for the unexpected or a day without... The unexpected, precisely! The start is a group and in good spirits, and it's important to point this out. We came above all to seek a human adventure and sharing the first kilometers with several people is always pleasant. The Col de Menté naturally skims, and we only find ourselves at 3-4 for the end of the valley which leads us to the Port de Balès. While I've managed my event rather well so far, never above 200w on the climbs to really keep some under the pedal on this first demanding part of the route (almost 9,000 m of elevation gain over the first 280 km). 5 km from the summit, my chain gets stuck in the cassette, something that had never happened to me. I stop to put it back on but as soon as I set off again it breaks. Alan comes to my aid and thanks to his chain tool I am able to set off again. A first grain of sand which not only makes me lose precious time but also creates a bit of doubt in my mind. Cycling, a school of humility Cycling has good days and bad days. Sometimes you do too much, you think you'll be burned out, and then everything actually goes smoothly. Sometimes it's the other way around; it's not an exact science. After the beautiful descent from Port de Balès, we head straight to the Col de Peyresourde. The heat is crushing, and we haven't really had time to get used to it this year. For the first time, I'm getting cramps. Chain breaks, cramps, heat waves, my pace is getting really slow, and I'm taking a series of breaks on this pass, which isn't particularly terrifying. It's starting to rattle in my head, and the mental resources aren't there. The engine is empty, physically and mentally. The broken chain was only a precursor to a (foretold?) rout... I realize that abandoning the race is the only way out. There have been other successes this season, and that's the game of cycling; it should remain a pleasure. And after all, you don't owe anyone anything. There's a kind of wisdom in abandoning the race, based on lucidity and the ability to simply say stop. Without any possible justification, because in the end, it's all up to you... The Lessons, and theUBFThere are some positives to take away from this experience. There are regrets, of course, because the roads and passes were superb. But there's also the desire to come back, for another event, or another format, perhaps again as a duo because I enjoyed that. Or perhaps differently, without time or constraints, just for the pleasure of the journey. Your motivations are yours and there are plenty of reasons to pursue your passion regardless of the terrain or format. That said, I can only recommend the Ultra Bike France events, which offer accessible formats with 200 and 300 km in various regions of France (Jura, Ardèche, Vosges, Pyrenees, etc.) you will not be disappointed. Above all, Jean-Marc and Hubert are passionate people who do this with kindness in a family spirit, perfect for discovering ultra or pushing yourself for a weekend! Flora Tells Friday the 19th The day before the race we set up camp in Aspet, right at the start of the course we'll be tackling on Saturday morning. We wanted to stretch our legs a bit, so we started a short 20km recon run leading up to the Col de la Mente. This allowed us to realize that it wasn't completely flat before we reached the foot of this first difficulty for me on my 200km course. 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 over the weekend. We are finalizing our preparation for this challenge (recharging batteries, checking water points along the route, uploading the map, sandwiches kiri or peanutbutter...). The advantage with my format is that I travel light: 2 bags (a top tube with mainly food, a frame with windbreaker, vest, gloves, lights (just in case)). The briefing begins and then follows with a pasta party. This allows for discussion with the participants. Saturday 20 D-Day! Here we are, a little apprehension about going on such a great distance and at the same time The sequence of stays such as the Brigade Stage or the RGA make 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 leaves for his 500 km. My goal is to stay in the wheels until the climb of the Mente where I will then advance at my own pace. It's nice to ride a little in a peloton before spending the rest of the day alone. The Mente It's 11 km at an average of 6%. The view is great and the road is full of twists and turns. It's cool to see and know if we're getting caught.Julien Rabbier catches up with me and his friend and we don't stop crossing paths throughout the entire route. At the top, I meet Hubert, who has been looking after Django all day. What a dog's life. The descent is incredible with all these bends, full of cyclists! We arrive at Saint Béa and from there there will be many country roads, long straight lines with links with the original village names Bizous, Mascars, Pouyastruc... before arriving at Hèches where we climb the Col de Coupe. Rolling over these 90 km and some. I still felt in good shape because the super Kiri and peanutbutter sandwiches helped a lot. It was the next "pass", Couret d'Asque, which brought me to the hamlet of Couret, not listed on the tracking apps, which made me wince because I was restricting myself in water. Luckily at the summit there was enough to refill. I still have one difficulty, the Col des Palomières before arriving at Bagnères de Bigorre where I took a lunch break at Octave! This last pass was the one I liked the least because it wasn't particularly of view and then fatigue slowly sets in. It was time to take a break. At Octave's, we were warmly welcomed, and I even had the right to a little VIP visit with Rémi. The appetite It's not big, but I need to regain my strength. I don't stay long because I don't want to get cold either. From here, I have two more climbs of 6 kilometers each. It's easy going, but fatigue means I'm stuck on these two climbs. Luckily for me, more rolling profile behind, I only have flats left so I was able to continue at an average of 30 at the end and finish this beautiful 200km course in 9h48 of travel. 10h50 in total. Very happy to have lived this experience, to have exchanged with the participants on the course and to have been able to experience one of the challenges UBF. Why not a next format next year? Collaboration UBF x MATCHYUsing the Matchy code MATCHY#UBF you will also get a 10% discount on one of their next editions! It is 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: - Chocolate Altitude bib shorts - Pure Macchiatto jersey - Aero socks I look forward to discussing ultra distance running with you or what outfits to equip you with. Flore & Geoffrey