Mathilda Boissot: ‘Don’t be afraid to have fun!’

Mathilda, could you introduce yourself?

I’m 31 years old, I live in Burgundy, in the Chalon-sur-Saône area, and I’m a naturopath and sports coach. I actually started out in alpine skiing. I’ve been doing it since I was very young, competing on the national city circuit.

Over time, I turned to trail running. I found in it what I loved about skiing: freedom, wide open spaces, nature and the great outdoors. Cycling came into the picture more recently, five or six years ago, mainly as a complement to my training. I mainly did rides of 40 or 50 kilometres around my home.

The Route des Grandes Alpes®: a long-held dream?

Yes, for a very long time! When I was little, I used to follow the Tour de France in a campervan with my grandparents. My grandmother would say to me: ‘You’ll see, maybe one day you’ll be cycling over the mountain passes too! ’ But as I never really prepared for it, I kept putting it off.

What was the turning point?

An injury! Almost a year ago, I fractured my collarbone whilst running. I had an operation, and then there were complications. I could only run 8 or 10 kilometres, on relatively flat terrain, and I couldn’t do any upper-body training.

On the other hand, my legs were in good shape! So I started cycling a lot more. And bit by bit, I thought: ‘I’ve got the legs, I can’t run, so I’ve got to do something! It’s now or never for the Route des Grandes Alpes®. ”

Used to long distances?

Not at all! My longest ride must have been 100 or 130 kilometres. And at the time, I thought to myself: ‘Never again! Two hours in the saddle is more than enough! ” In the end, I discovered that when you’re cycling in good conditions, with a real goal in mind and surrounded by extraordinary scenery, it’s a completely different experience.

Which route?

I set off from Thonon on 13 September and followed the main route via the Bonnette variant, without missing a single major mountain pass! Originally, I’d planned to stop in Menton, but I carried on all the way to Nice! In total, I cycled for eight days, from 13 to 20 September, covering around 730 kilometres.

Alone or with company?

Alone on the bike, yes, but my family were following me in a van. So I was semi-self-sufficient. We only stayed at two campsites. The rest of the time, we looked for quiet spots to spend the night. They slept in the van and I slept in my tent.

During the day, I was generally on my own. I had a small bag on my handlebars containing my snacks and a few changes of clothes. My family only met up with me occasionally, for example at the summit of the Iseran or at Lautaret.

Which bike?

Mine: a Trek Domane AL 4. The shop that looks after my bike helped me with the project. We carried out a posture analysis, changed the stem and replaced the wheels to save around 900 grams.

I’d also asked for a triathlon bottle cage behind the saddle so I could carry three bottles. On long rides, I rely heavily on sports drinks for nutrition and eat very little. So making sure I had enough fluids was essential!

And what about the weather?

Brilliant! For the first two days, in the Beaufortain, it was around 28 to 30 °C, but I cope quite well with the heat. After that, we had incredible conditions. At the summit of the Bonette, my dad said to me: ‘I’ve never seen the Bonette without a breeze! ” We were up there in T-shirts. At that altitude, in September, it was quite exceptional.

 

Three or four mountain passes to remember?

The Izoard, without a doubt! It’s almost three different landscapes in a single climb. You start off in the mountain pastures, then cross a more wooded section and, as you approach the summit, you find yourself in a completely lunar landscape.

I’d also include the Cormet de Roselend. The descent towards Bourg-Saint-Maurice was magnificent, very picturesque at this time of year. And then the Télégraphe, which holds a particularly amusing memory for me. A young German cyclist overtook me, probably thinking he’d leave me behind. Except that halfway up the pass, he looked back… and I was still right behind him!

The tough moments?

Because of the wind in the Maurienne Valley, after the descent from the Iseran. From Bonneval to Orelle, I had about 60 kilometres of wind blowing up the valley. I even ended up standing on the pedals on the descents just to keep moving! I found this section almost harder going than the climb up the Iseran.

And then I got a puncture in the Tinée Valley, after the Bonette. I was looking at the scenery and didn’t spot the shards of a glass bottle on the cycle path. I repaired it myself. I simply asked my family for a proper pump so I could get the tyre back up to the right pressure.

What stands out for you from those eight days?

Pure joy. A real blast from start to finish! Of course, this sort of trip takes some preparation. Even when you’re not aiming for a particular performance, you need a minimum level of training. But what I discovered was that you can have a great deal of fun without worrying about time, speed or rankings.

For me, that was a new experience. I’m very competitive by nature: when I’m skiing or running a race, I want to get on the podium. This time, I had no target for my time or pace. I just wanted to keep moving, look around me and enjoy myself. And it feels absolutely brilliant to experience an adventure like that just for yourself.

 

A message to women who are still hesitating?

Don’t be afraid! Some mountain passes seemed completely out of reach to me before I set off. But in the end, you get there. You go at your own pace. If you need to stop on a pass to catch your breath, you stop. It’s no big deal. As long as you’ve prepared properly and are enjoying yourself from start to finish, you just have to go for it. 

Quite simply, don’t be afraid to have fun!