I'm taking part in the Gibraltar Race 2023 motorcycle raid! J5, 6 & 7

Do you remember how low my spirits were after the 3rd day of the race? It would seem that this major reappraisal was beneficial. From now on, I' ve found a form of balance, I know what to focus on and what goals to set myself. In this article, I take a look back at days 5, 6 and 7: physically and technically tough races, but which confirmed my strategic choices. And above all? I've stopped falling! Yes, I am! Let's keep our fingers crossed that this continues!

Today is very different from yesterday, and for good reason: I've been riding! The good news? I covered the entire track and didn't fall off!

By the way, you might be wondering what a typical day on the Gibraltar race is like?

I get up at 06:00 - 06:30, and like a top-level athlete, I warm up. It's really important. Breakfast at 07:00. Last bike inspection at 07:30 (in case of a slow puncture). Then, we receive the GPS files 15min before our departures, i.e. at 07:45 for the first party.

From then on, we start "plotting" the stages. What does this preparation stage involve? To put it simply, the idea is to determine a route that will link each of the crossing points. It's not easy, because they're lost in the middle of the pampas. So you have to rack your brains to find tracks or trails that will connect them all. It's an important stage that you need to take the time to fine-tune in the right conditions to avoid wandering around later in the heat.

The first competitors set off at 08:00, then everyone goes their own way. In the evening, we all meet by the pool with a beer in hand. Around 7:00 pm, it's time to check the mechanics of the bikes. Today, for example, I detected a generous amount of play in the steering column. 8pm, briefing for the next day's stage. We receive the roadmap detailing the mileage of special stages and links. 8:30 pm dinner. 9:30 pm packing for the next day. Everyone "picks" from the trunks provided by the organizers. Then it's off to bed. After 500 kilometers of trekking, everyone's pretty exhausted.

On paper, the day's itinerary was 436km. In practice, it was almost 500km.

Blame it on my dubious, if not downright absent, sense of direction. So what happened? Earlier, I mentioned the importance of plotting the special stages in the right conditions... Well, I took advantage of the cool morning to "draw" the first three and everything went perfectly on the ground. The last one? I designed it in the afternoon heat. As a result, I got lost. I missed a path. Impossible to find! I navigate a bit blindly, sometimes stumbling across private estates, fences or dead-end roads. These haphazard wanderings take me more than 20km off course! I call Osmand to the rescue. Then, after long minutes of wandering and life-saving manipulations on my tablet, I finally reach the original route. Phew...

Apart from this slightly chaotic episode, this day was a great success for me. I'm regaining my confidence, I'm not falling and my navigations are more precise. What's changed? I set myself realistic objectives adapted to my level, I set limits to stay "safe" and above all I don't put any more pressure on the stopwatch. That changes everything!

To ride more serenely, I avoid being alone. And yes, riding the T700 is a pleasure that can only be enjoyed by several people (especially because of my messed-up shoulder). So I look at the rankings and choose to ride with a Dane who's one place ahead of me. It was a bad move, as today he decided to take it easy with his brother. I then set my sights on a group of Frenchmen. Except that? The levels are very disparate and they're slower than me. So I decide to ride alone at my own pace. But I make sure I'm always in the middle of the pack. That way, if I get into a spat, I'll be caught up fairly quickly and "rescued". It's reassuring, and this method allows me to ride with peace of mind, without dreading an impromptu solo weightlifting test.

Today, we're riding through a wide variety of scenery and surfaces.

Sometimes on gravel tracks in desert landscapes populated by cactus and fig trees, sometimes on stony forest paths, refreshing on this 40°C day. The moments I dread a little? The sandy sections. In theory, it's easy. All the other bikers tell me: "It's simple, you just position yourself at the back and put on the gas". Yeah, except that in practice, it's a lot more hazardous (especially with my level).

The funky moments of the day? First, crossing the Guadalquivir River in a ferry at Coria Del Rio. A beautiful memory. Then, sharing a coffee with an Austrian and an Italian biker in the middle of nowhere. We owe this nice moment to one of the organization's guys, who got out his stove to prepare us these pick-me-ups. It's really the kind of unexpected moment I love.

Finally, the whole day is punctuated by encounters with the local fauna: pink flamingos, bulls, horses and a black pig that grazes my front wheel. Small scare!

As yesterday went so well, I decided to keep the same strategy today. Which is? Take my time mapping out the stages, ride in the middle of the pack, don't pay too much attention to the stopwatch, and incidentally, have some fun!

Today's program: only 340 km to tackle.

Suspicious, isn't it? We now know that low mileage means difficult stages. And I quickly realized that this was the case. Indeed, after only a few kilometers on the road, I set off on mountain trails that are as technical as they come. Hairpin bends, generous gradients, rocks galore, no grip whatsoever: a real treat! The difficulty for me? Maneuvering my anvil despite its tight turning radius and, above all, my technical shortcomings. Yes, especially that!

After a hundred kilometers or so on these bone-breaking trails, I attack the first special stage. You can't change a winning team: I go at my own pace and stay focused on navigation. The result? Obviously, I'm off the pace, but I've managed to connect all my waypoints. That was my goal, so I'm really happy. The problem? I'm already rinsed out. At 37°C, every physical effort is intense.

I move into the shade. I take the time to map out my second special stage and attack. 1st waypoint, ok. 2nd and 3rd, ok. Finally, I reach the top of a hill with a major obstacle in front of me: a vertiginous descent! And an equally steep climb on the other side. What can I say, a wall! What to do? Throw myself into this pit of death on my own? No way! Reason prevailed and I decided to turn back. But just as I'm about to set off again, I hear engines below. I stand up. I walk to the edge of the "precipice". And who do I see? Bruno and two other bikers trapped at the bottom of this natural bathtub. "Get out of the way! Don't come!" says Bruno. Well, don't worry, that wasn't really my intention...

I'll learn later that my teammate had to call for assistance to get out of his hole. Want to know the best part? This slope has a monstrous 34% gradient. So I thank my lack of technique and my reason (for once), which convinced me not to embark on this endurist-style ordeal. So I set off in a different direction. I palm off. I turn back. But somehow, I find an alternative and validate all my waypoints. Objective accomplished!

After several hours on the mountain trails, I have to be honest, I've had my fill of hairpin bends. The rock, the endless switchbacks, the constant lack of grip... Are there no more roads in Spain? Finally, the bitumen god answers my prayers! 4km before Malaga, I'm back on asphalt. What a joy! At my destination, I look at the stopwatch. Within 10 minutes, I was right on schedule for the day. What's my assessment? Very positive. I finished 22nd out of 29 and, above all, I achieved all my objectives. That is to say, to go all the way to the end of the day, connect all the crossing points and not fall.

What I find interesting about this race is that everyone sets their own challenges.

Some obviously want to win, while others simply want to reach the final goal of San Sebastian. The Gibraltar Race confronts you with your own limits. It's up to you to go beyond them. Today, for example, I overcame the most vertiginous descent of my motorcycling life. Once I got going, I couldn't stop. The rocks made braking impossible. In this case, you just have to accept your destiny, manage the slide as best you can and keep your fingers crossed that you'll make it to the bottom in one piece.

Anything else of note in today's race? Oh yes, one of the bikers hit a cyclist. Luckily, it wasn't serious. However, I think it's a good reminder for all competitors: this is an open road race. It's important to bear in mind that, at any given moment, we may come across hikers, mountain bikers or even trucks on the rolling roads.

A final point that I feel is important to emphasize. At the end of this exhausting day, I'm enjoying one of the best beers of my life! What's so special about it? It's got the flavor of that lather I've earned a hundredfold after a day of crabbing through rocks for 500 kilometers. Add to that a life-saving country ham sandwich, and I'm the happiest man in the world!

It's Sunday and a day off. A well-deserved rest at this stage of the race. Wake-up call at 07:30. Bruno and I are the only ones at breakfast. It seems that all the troops are rinsed out. What's on the agenda today? Mechanical session, bike wash, clothes laundry, detailed inspection of the bikes, restaurant in Malaga, walk around the city and swim at the beach. Aperitif, briefing and bedtime.

And some much-needed rest! Tomorrow, some very big special stages await us. Usually 20 or 30 kilometers long, we'll have to complete a 66-kilometer stage. Quite a programme!

Here we are, halfway through the Gibraltar Race. And although the first and third days were very hard, both psychologically and physically, I've recovered and the following days have gone well. This confirms my choices and reassures me about what's to come. Am I sure I can go all the way? Absolutely not! Let's not forget that this is an endurance event, and the slightest bad fall could jeopardize everything. Come on, let's believe it!

----> I take up the challenge of the Gibraltar race: Day 3, one "big" fall too many; Day 4, a break is in order! (episode 3)