Sébastien Renaud - A gravel cyclist who pushes himself to the limit

A week earlier, Sébastien had travelled to Girona to take part in The Traka Adventure, a gravel bike event. Raced over 560 kilometres, with around 10,000 metres in positive elevation gain, it is among the most challenging cycling events in Europe. “Gravel bikes are a cross between a road bike and a mountain bike, which means you can venture onto rougher trails and reach remote spots in the heart of nature, completely alone in the mountains,” explains Sébastien. 

More than 400 kilometres into the race, Sébastien comes across an unexpected obstacle: a river cutting straight across the route. Bad luck—he hadn't packed any waterproof gear. Undeterred, he plunges in and wades through, the water rising up to his waist. Soaked to the bone, the cold quickly starts to take hold. Driven by survival instinct, he seeks refuge in an ATM booth to warm up. “I jolted awake, without even remembering falling asleep. My bike computer, which shows me the route for the race, had run out of battery. If it had just been the hypothermia, I would have pushed on. But without a working GPS, I had no choice but to give up.”

Sport has always played a big part in Sébastien’s life. As a teenager, he was passionate about running and was even part of the French Espoirs (U-23) athletics team. But when he started university, balancing intense training with exam prep became too much. Just like that, he quit cold turkey and didn't lace up his running shoes again. “I didn't want to go back to it if I couldn’t be at my best—that was simply unthinkable for me.”

Ten years later, when his son was born in 2013, his partner, hoping to encourage him to get back into sports, sent him an online ad for a second-hand bike. Sébastien took the bait, and before long, he was training every day, filling the void left by running. Over time, Sébastien improved steadily, tackling rides of 100 to 150 kilometres. But in October 2021, his passion took on a whole new dimension.

In early 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic raged on, Sébastien received the devastating news that his partner had been diagnosed with breast cancer. What followed were weeks of chemotherapy in the hospital, during which Sébastien and their children, due to pandemic restrictions, were unable to visit her. Then in October 2020, just as she was due to undergo a double mastectomy and have her ovaries removed, his partner contracted Covid-19. Given the urgency of the situation, the doctors made the decision to go ahead with the surgery despite the risks it posed to the medical staff and the safety of the operating room.

A year later, once his partner had recovered from her ordeal, Sébastien felt compelled to do something meaningful—both to honour her incredible courage and to show his gratitude to the doctors who had saved her life. He set himself an ambitious challenge: cycling on his indoor trainer for 24 hours straight to raise funds for l’Aimant Rose, an association aiming to encourage breast cancer early detection. “I’d never felt so motivated in my life. My partner’s perseverance in the face of illness, combined with the support of my friends who contributed to the fundraiser, kept me going throughout the challenge. Giving up wasn’t an option—I couldn’t let them down.” He raised almost CHF 4,000. The experience of pushing himself through such an intense endurance challenge was a revelation. “It was the first time I'd ever covered such a distance. I loved the challenge and I realised that what I truly enjoy about this sport is the feeling of pushing beyond my limits.”

Today, Sébastien takes part in two or three ultra-endurance competitions a year. Covering such immense distances requires an intimate understanding of his body to know exactly how it will respond to the strain. “I read a lot of books and scientific articles about sport, the human body and nutrition. I need to understand everything so I can fully master my body and bike during a race. I find it fascinating. ” 

Training and preparation are, of course, non-negotiable, but Sébastien emphasises that it’s all about balance and knowing your priorities. “For me, family always comes first, then work, and finally, cycling.” Before each race, Sébastien spends hours meticulously planning every detail of the route. “I map out where I can refill my water, buy food, check opening hours, locate public toilets, and so on.”

But no matter how thorough the preparation, some things inevitably slip through the cracks and Sébastien has had his fair share of mishaps. “I’ve built a bit of a reputation for being unlucky during races—something always goes wrong. It’s gotten to the point where, before a competition, I catch myself wondering what’s going to happen this time,” he says with a laugh. These ups and downs have taught Sébastien to develop remarkable resilience and unshakable patience—qualities that serve him just as well in life and work as they do in sport. “It helps me take a step back, stay positive, and find solutions no matter the situation.”

Barely back from his Spanish adventure, Sébastien isn’t one to dwell on setbacks. He’s already gearing up for his next challenge: the Tour des Stations Ultimate 1000, set to take place in July. Starting in Aigle, in the canton of Vaud, this 1000-kilometre race spans two days and two nights, passing through 13 cantons and crossing iconic passes such as the Flüela, Albula and Klausen. And his ultimate goal? “My dream would be to take part in UNBOUND Gravel in the United States. The course is only 200 miles (322 kilometres) long, but it attracts over 6,000 participants, making it one of the biggest gravel races in the world.”
 

When he is not riding his bike high up in the mountains, Sébastien Renaud is Head of Regulatory Change at Risk & Control Functions PAM in Geneva.