J: What did you think of the French Divide route? I’ve heard mixed feedback over the years, did you enjoy it?
S: I am very impressed with the way Samuel (the organiser) put together a 2300km long course with so much variety and so little tarmac. I mean, obviously you're gonna have some pavement when you ride across an entire country. But I really feel he did his best to keep it to a minimum. As for the legit mountain biking sections, I have never seen a bikepacking race with so many of them. And he still managed to keep the hike-a-bike to a minimum. And whenever you end up pushing the bike, it never lasts for long. All in all, I was never bored. I felt the riding was always hard and fun, with loads of climbing, stunning views, a great varitey of landscapes and some of the most beautiful villages I've ever seen. I've done a few races and this one easily ranks among the best.
J: How does a more technical route compare to races such as the Tour Divide and Atlas Mountain Race? What is your preference?
S: I feel it's harder on the legs but easier on the mind. The surface and the style of riding is always changing on the French Divide. You never end up getting bored by that long, wide, flat gravel road or that 30km long climb that you feel will never end. Before you feel you've had enough of something, you're riding something else, switching from pavement to singletrack, from flat to hilly terrain, from a bumpy gravel road to a smooth one. The French Divide has it all... gravel (from hard-packed to loose), dirt, sticky mud, rocks, dry river beds, grass, even a little bit of sand. As for the mountain biking sections, they're glorious. I'm not the most skilled rider and yet I had a ton of fun.
