Borderlands Gravel.
It’s been a long time since I put on a bib for a bike race—maybe a couple of years, since I did the Race Across France in 2022. Managing a company, closing it, then reopening it in the US—that’s enough strain on the mind and body. So, I put training and riding aside for more than a year.
At the start of this year, I decided it was time to get back in shape. I managed to lose 5 of the 9 kilos I had gained. So when the opportunity came to sponsor Borderlands Gravel in Douglas, Arizona, I told myself—I’m not only going to sponsor the race, I have to ride it.
Why Borderlands? First of all, Race Director Mike Miller’s enthusiasm is contagious. He’s a rider himself, a product of the ‘90s mountain bike era. On top of that, he wants to help the border communities of Douglas and Agua Prieta—two towns that took a hard hit post-COVID. His vision for this race is what I’d call pure grassroots—just like the races back in the early ’90s. I had to be part of it. And Brutal Salty Energy? It’s the obvious partner for something like this.
I landed in Phoenix on Thursday. Since I still live in France, it took an 11-hour flight and a 2-hour drive to Tucson, where I crashed at a friend’s house. Friday was all about picking up my rental bike and setting it up right. I got a Bianchi Arcadex, and to my surprise, it turned out to be a great ride for the fast gravel conditions of the course.
I said I’d been training—but to be honest, it was mostly running. I had committed to a half marathon just two days before flying to Arizona. So, by Friday morning, my legs were stiff as hell. Not ideal for a 65-mile gravel race. I decided to downgrade to the short course—40 miles. After all, my main goal was to promote BSE products, not to win anything. And that’s how I found myself starting a 40-mile ride on the border between Mexico and the US.
The border. A line that divides two territories, two cultures.
I’m not entirely against borders—they exist for a reason. We’re different people. We think differently. We work differently. And because of that, borders help us preserve and cultivate those differences.
But what I love about borders is that we can build bridges. We can invite. It’s voluntary. We let someone step into our world—and in doing so, we enrich them, and they enrich us.
I thought about all this during my pre-ride on Friday evening—30 minutes riding along the wall. My legs weren’t turning. They were stiff, they hurt, and the usual anxiety started to creep in. Race day was coming.
Saturday morning. Race day.
I loved the idea of having kids from the school in Douglas sing both the Mexican and American national anthems. What a beautiful way to start the day.
40 miles through the Arizona desert, under perfect weather.
As expected, I started with very heavy legs, barely managing to hang on between the first two groups. But about 30 minutes in, I started to feel better. Once the Geronimo Trail climb was behind me, I was ready to roll. I spent the rest of the race chasing and just flowing. I was super happy to finish.
Nutrition-wise, I expected around 3h30 of racing, so I followed my usual recommendations: coffee in the morning, then a Brutal Salty Energy Banane peanut butter blend to keep me going. For hydration, one liter of BSE electrolytes—the last of my reserve. We really need to find a supplier soon. I want to be able to offer them again by early 2026.
Once the chase was over and I crossed the finish line, I was thrilled to find myself in 8th place.
Now it was time for some Mexican food.
Having lived in Europe for the past 20 years, every time I’m back in the US it’s a must. And I’m never disappointed. But as I sat there eating, I couldn’t help but think: when you build a wall, it’s not about what you keep out—it’s about what you hold in. This part of the world, at least Arizona, is more Mexico than anything else.
What God created together, man cannot tear apart.
Next year, I’ll be back—this time for the 100 miles.
I can’t get enough of these wild territories.
Home of the brave.
Land of the free.
