A week ago, on March 28, Simon Guignard, a sports ambassador for the Urban Community, crossed the finish line at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, concluding an extraordinary adventure. Departing from Dakar on February 14, the athlete cycled 6,165.80 km in 331 hours and 48 minutes, accumulating 46,989 meters of positive elevation gain. In complete autonomy, he traversed five countries-Senegal, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain, and France-in a challenge that was simultaneously physical, logistical, and deeply human.
The Genesis of an Epic Journey
The idea of connecting Dakar to Paris by bike, in complete autonomy, was born from a confluence of factors for Simon. Last year, his sporting endeavors didn’t unfold as planned, prompting a desire to refocus on what he truly loved about endurance sports: the ability to travel far and explore the map. For this, cycling proved to be the ideal medium.
There was also a personal connection: his father had made a similar journey, albeit by car with a friend, some thirty years prior, before Simon was born. Simon vividly recalls his father’s tales of hardship, nights spent in the desert, and places where nothing existed. These stories ignited a spark, a quiet determination: “One day, I would like to do it.”
This journey also served as a homage to the original Paris-Dakar rallies, which were far more about adventure and resourcefulness. Simon felt a strong resonance with this spirit. For him, the true Paris-Dakar wasn’t about paved roads; it was about traversing tracks and trails. “It was born like that. I told myself that I had to find beautiful tracks, to rediscover a bit of that spirit,” he recounts.
Preparing for the Unimaginable: Physical, Mental, and Logistical Challenges
Preparing for a challenge spanning over 6,000 kilometers is a monumental undertaking. Simon believes that the physical and mental readiness for such an endeavor is built unintentionally over years. His first major cycling adventure was at the age of 17. Subsequent experiences, such as the 2,200 km French Divide in 2021 (a self-supported traverse of France by bike on trails) and a 900-kilometer race in Scotland in 2022, all contributed to this long-term preparation.
“It’s difficult to say: tomorrow, I’m preparing to do that. You can train, but it’s a very long-term preparation,” Simon explains. His lifelong love for cycling, its simplicity, and its less traumatic impact on the body compared to running, have been constant motivators. “I always liked cycling. I like this simple side, the fact of being able to go far, and it’s also less traumatic than running.”
Logistically, the journey presented a new level of stress, as it was his first time in Africa. Numerous factors required anticipation, especially during the month of Ramadan. Simon meticulously planned his routes, particularly between Mauritania and the Western Sahara. He had his stages firmly in mind, with precise kilometrage for each zone. Calculating water and food supplies, considering equipment, sleeping arrangements, and security were all critical. This meticulous logistical planning demanded significant foresight.
Beyond Trailing: The Allure of Endurance on Two Wheels
As a high-level trail runner, Simon’s foray into such a demanding cycling adventure might seem like a departure from his usual discipline. However, for him, cycling has always been a means to go far, to accumulate long hours of endurance, and to explore different landscapes, all while being less physically taxing. “Cycling is something that has always allowed me to go far. It allows for long hours of endurance, to get around, to see the country, while being less traumatic for the body.”
Recent physical setbacks, particularly concerning iron absorption, highlighted the different way the body functions on a bike. Cycling, for Simon, is a deeply loved sport that blends escape with physical activity. He doesn’t see it as a complete deviation from his discipline but rather “another way of experiencing endurance.”
The Essence of Autonomy: Self-Sufficiency on the Road
Traveling in “total autonomy” on such a challenge means being entirely self-sufficient: managing water, food, equipment, bivouac, repairs, and security. In certain sections, survival hinged on precise calculations of water and food consumption. Each day, Simon estimated the kilometers he needed to cover, the time it would take, and what supplies to carry.
His basic kit always included five liters of water on the bike. For desert crossings, this increased to sixteen liters on the bike, plus an additional two liters in his backpack. Other essentials included a satellite phone, a warm sleeping bag, clothing to cope with extreme temperature fluctuations (from over 40 degrees Celsius during the day to around 5 degrees at night in the inner Sahara), and repair tools. “Travel in complete autonomy also means accepting little comfort. This is my vision of travel: I feel better when I am lighter. I am used to that. The idea is to take what can really allow you to keep moving forward.”
Managing the Marathon: Effort, Fatigue, Sleep, and Sustenance
There was no typical day on this epic journey. Simon aimed to cycle all day, with some days being easier and others more challenging. Mentally, he had a timeframe of 30 to 45 days for the trip, which meant maintaining progress without being overly rigid. A good day involved covering around 150 kilometers, but this varied significantly depending on the terrain, wind, and condition of the track. In the Sahara, for instance, he faced terrible headwinds, reducing his speed on flat roads to a mere 10 km/h, a stark contrast to his usual comfortable pace. “Mentally, it’s tough, especially with a straight road.”
For food, he anticipated stages and carried extra supplies. Evenings often consisted of rice with sardines, supplemented by a significant amount of dates. Small village convenience stores usually offered enough for him to resupply without constantly carrying excessive amounts of food. For sleep, a very warm sleeping bag, a down jacket, and trousers were essential to manage the drastic temperature drops after scorching daytime heat.
The Unforgettable: Encounters That Transcend Kilometers
When asked about the most beautiful moment or the most powerful image from his Dakar-to-Paris odyssey, Simon unequivocally points to the encounters he made along the way. While driven by a desire to cover many kilometers daily, a reflection of his self-transcending nature, he also didn’t want to miss out on human connections. He sought a balance between speed and immersion, a balance he believes he achieved successfully.
“When I felt there was something to experience, I told myself: too bad for the clock, let’s enjoy the moment. And that’s what remains. You meet people who are totally different from you, and yet you can share very beautiful discussions.” These moments of exchange, hospitality, and human connection left a deeper mark than the kilometers themselves. “These are the moments that deeply mark you: the exchanges, the welcomes, the human memories even more than the kilometers.”
An Inspiring Message: “Get Out and Do Things!”
Simon’s message to the inhabitants of the region, especially young athletes in Le Havre Seine Métropole, is simple yet profound: “Get out and do things!” He acknowledges that such grand adventures can seem intimidating, leading people to believe they could never achieve something similar. However, he emphasizes that the scale of the adventure isn’t the point.
“You don’t have to do something extraordinary to live an adventure.” He also suggests that one doesn’t always need to engage in highly structured sports. Simply stepping outside, pitching a tent, and trying something that deviates from the norm can open up a world of possibilities. Even without traveling far, one can plan a bivouac, go for a hike, and experience something different. Simon recalls his own beginnings: sleeping outdoors without a tent on a cliff in Bénouville, just a kilometer from his home. “Adventure started there.” This reminder is particularly important for young people: don’t hesitate to go out, move, and change your daily routine. “Just going outside and walking a bit can already bring a lot.”
Source: https://www.lehavreseinemetropole.fr/actualites/dakar-paris-en-solitaire-velo-le-grand-defi-de-simon-guignard
