The four-time UTMB winner regularly rides his bike to complement his trail outings. But he could take his two-wheeled challenges even further once his trail career is over, as he explained to us at the latest Giant Road Camp, the brand for which he is an ambassador.
When it comes to cross-training, trail runners are often at the forefront when it comes to dropping their shoes and donning a pair of shorts, or heading off into the mountains on ski mountaineering. And François d'Haene is no exception. The four-time UTMB winner is also an avid cyclist, to the point of becoming a Giant ambassador. It's with models from the Taiwanese brand that he rides and enjoys the cols of Beaufortin, where he lives. We Rock Sport was present at the latest Giant Road Camp, and took the opportunity to ask the ultra-trail rider a few questions about his two-wheeled activities and his upcoming summer trail program.
What role does cycling play in your training program?
It's a discipline I practice as a complementary sport and for pleasure, because I like it. I've always done a lot of cycling, and over the last few years I've come to feel that it's good for my body to ride in the transition and recovery zones that I may have during my career. It's a sport I practice regularly, with two outings a week on average. There's bound to be some positive gradient on the program with what's around the house, and you can quickly find yourself with 100 km outings and 4000 m of D+. And as I'm not a big fan of flat and windy conditions, it's perfect.
Where do you find the pleasure when you're in the saddle?
It's quite a playful discipline, and allows me to do sport with my friends, whereas in ultra trail it's harder to run with the others. On a bike, you can have more fun, take relays, do short sprints... Last year, as I was injured, I did a lot of cycling between May and July. Not only is it a pleasure to ride, but it also allows me to work on other things. What's more, it's a mounted sport, so there's less impact than trail riding. In terms of power, it's quite qualitative, and the same goes for intensity, where you can work on quite a few things. Finally, in terms of glycemia, it's really interesting. When you have a big hypoglycemia on a bike, you have a really hard time getting back, and you wonder how you're going to make it all the way home. When you're on foot, it's rarer and less intense. And you tell yourself that you'll always have a way of getting home. In short, cycling also lets you test things out and get to know yourself better.
Which Giant model do you ride?
Giant has been supporting me for two seasons now. Until last year, the TCR suited me well. It's a typical mountain bike, which corresponds well to the profile of the outings I do around my home. And last year, as I was injured and could run less, I opted for very long bike rides where I perhaps needed a little more comfort. That's when Giant told me about the Defy. Since last autumn, I've been using it quite a bit. It has an interesting power-to-weight ratio and the position is more comfortable. But the TCR is still my favorite bike, especially when it's fast-paced and I'm racking up the positive gradient. As soon as I need to respond, it's perfect for that.
Do you ever take part in cycling races?
No, I stay focused on my job, which is trail running. It's in this discipline that I have my objectives and where I perform well. For the moment, I'm doing pleasure cycling, but certain challenges appeal to me, such as long-distance crossings or the Etape du Tour. It's something that could motivate me after my career as a traileur.
How do you feel before tackling your summer goals?
After my injuries (he suffered a stress fracture and then a triple fracture of the ankle at the end of 2022), I had a difficult 2023. But my last winter went well and I'm back in good shape. The Pierra Menta, where I finished seventh with Gédéon Pochatà, proved it. I've regained the power I had three or four years ago when I was competing in ski mountaineering events. Now I'm back to running for my two big goals of the season, the Hardrock 100 in July and the Tor des Géants in mid-September.
What's new in your Ultra Spirit race this year?
This is the third edition in 2024, and it will still be held in the Beaufortin region from September 20 to 22. We're changing the location of the bivouac to near the Col du Cormet de Roselend. It will still be very high, but we've redesigned the routes. It's a lot of work, but it's important to let participants discover other parts of the Beaufortin. On Ultra SpiritWe're still using the same recipe, with 45 teams of three people running for around twenty hours over the weekend. The aim will be to get everyone to run the same number of hours and finish together - that's the originality of this event. We'll continue to offer fun little activities in the middle of it all, with a strong eco-environmental sensibility.
