El Piri 2025 Event Film - A Gravel Bikepacking Adventure in the Catalan Pyrenees

What is it about ultra cycling? I guess it's the proper way in modern society to actually be able to have an adventure and push yourself beyond your normal boundaries. So I got my first bike around six weeks ago, a few day rides, hit the Southern Hills a couple of times. If you can try and find fun in these moments, you will start to grow as a person. And for me, it was the personal growth that I fell in love with, that I love doing, that I want to find a way to offer to you all. Thanks, man. Now I miss the animals. Yes, the time, but I cannot sleep. Did you set them free? Wildlife. It's like heaven in the clouds. That's the hardest climb I've ever done. Very tough. What is the morning? I'm not in good shape today. Tomorrow? Hope it's better. It's going better. I have a broken rim, so that is not really holding off, but let's see. Maybe I'll get lucky. I'll have to continue tomorrow like this and just hope that it doesn't come off. I'm reluctant to say this, but it is great fun in a weird way. I've decided not to look at elevation or anything really now, because it freaks me. It's really nice to just know other people are suffering. So no particular plan, but a vague plan. Gossel for some food and drink. I was really tired after last night's sleeping in the tent, and I just thought I'm going to have to walk the whole of the rest of it, but it's been okay. There are advantages and disadvantages to doing it with someone. It's actually almost a relief sometimes to be alone, because then you go at your own speed. Yeah, you just get into a rhythm, and if I want to walk, I'm going to let myself walk and just see what happens really. But the mind, there's lots going on. Can I do it? Can't I do it? Yes, you can. Yeah, it's all about doing it. Here comes my partner in crime. Oh, I really feel some cheese. This is team 1A and 1B. 1A, 1B. We've been demoted to team minus, I think. It is beautiful, really beautiful, but it is really, really hard. It is really hard. This is our first gravel event. Baptism of fire. Right, onwards and upwards. We're still going. Oh my god, I'm shaking. The first two days, a bit rough. I just kept doing bit by bit, did what I could. Got to Alpen in the evening, met these guys and stuff, which was awesome. Just like, see other cyclists. I was just like, oh my god, other people. That was a massive recovery. I just really want to complete the challenge. Hungry, sunburn. What else? Other than that, I'm good, I'm good. I'm glad that I arrived here. Happy I arrived, finally. I didn't see any one single person yesterday, all day. No riders at all until I bumped into these guys. It was lucky that I met them because I was going slow. I couldn't really move. Because I injured my ribcage, I didn't feel confident to go down. I didn't want to fall. So I was being really careful. So it's like, yeah, I was being really careful. And I think there's more gravel coming along probably. I'm finally having a good day on the bike. I don't know, the last two days, I was just not having fun. Really not enjoying it. I don't know why. But I had some food, a good night's sleep and a shower and I think that was it. And now I'm really, really enjoying it. Finally enjoying the views as well. So eager to continue. And I'm not scratching. I'm suffering so much. My body's so sore. And I absolutely cooked myself in the valley where it was so hot. Like five minutes, I'm like, I want to give up. And then another five minutes, I have a few dailies. I'm like, oh, this is brilliant. Now we are at Steridaneo, the checkpoint. Long days to come to this place, to the deep of the valley. Yeah, we made it. Awesome. Yannick, I think I'm not going to make it. So, where do we get these stamped? Fire. Cheers. Thank you for getting me up. Thank you for the great memories. Yeah, and you're going to let me forget it, aren't you? Are you slow enough for a photo? You don't even need slow-mo for us. Catalonia, it's magical, right? It makes you come, like, total peace. And it makes you really appreciate where you are. I was just riding up there and there were two deer standing there. Just, they didn't notice me. And it was such a beautiful view to see them so peacefully. Oh, that's a tough one. Hopefully, I wouldn't do anything quite as romantic on our wedding anniversary, but I thought I'd really push the boat out this year and treat my wife of 34 years to something really special like three and a half thousand meter climb and 150 kilometers. But yeah, it was a good way to celebrate. I don't know if we'll top that one. We left ourselves quite a lot to do this morning. To be a bit uncomfortable for a short time, it's really good for you. It's good for your mind. Next time something trivial at home happens and you think like, oh, that's such a nightmare, you think, well, we're on the top of a mountain. And we were fine. So we can get through this little problem at home or whatever. It's not a problem. It's a personal thing. We don't have many friends, I think, that would come and have a go. We have friends. We have some friends. But not friends. I'm pleased with myself. I'm surprised that I can keep going. So that's good, isn't it? This is the last day. And actually, so this is sad. I'm enjoying this. Make it last. Before the checkpoint was probably one of the best gravel roads I've ever ridden in my life. I was totally alone. There was no one. That was fantastic. It's a solo adventure. Nothing could have prepared me. Well, actually, well, no, training could have prepared me, to be honest. But I was not prepared for the challenge, I suppose. That was the hardest thing I've ever done. Hands down, like emotional, physical. It was just nothing I've done has ever pushed me to that limit. And it was just like moments where I didn't know if I could do it. I'm really pleased I managed to pull it off.