Name: Marin de Saint-Exupéry
Hometown: Vevey, Switzerland
Which bikes and HUNT wheels do you ride? A Fairlight Holt on some Proven Carbon Race XC.
Favourite riding experience to date? Bike messengering for sure, but racing the Silk Road Mountain Race isn't too bad either. Back in 2019 I took 3 months off and rode my bike from Switzerland to Kirghizistan to get to the start line and race. Quite an insane experience.
What are your plans for 2024? Since 2019 I've been dreaming of getting back to Kirghizistan, but this time I plan for an even bigger journey. I'm going to link 3 races on 3 continents, all by bike. Starting with Atlas Mountain Race, followed by the Hellenic Mountain race and finishing with the Silk Road Mountain Race.
What does riding or ultra racing mean to you? Freedom. Freedom to be disconnected from everyday life, freedom to discover places, freedom to get into a meditative mindspace, freedom to get dirty and not care, freedom to eat crazy food, freedom to wake up in a new place every day. Ultra racing is just a condensed an accelerated version of all that.
Favourite ride snack: Ovomaltine (really Swiss)
Soundtrack to your ride: The Line Is a Curve, Kae Tempest