Marin de Saint-Exupéry

TURNING THE PAGE. Racing evolves. Motivations change. Integrity remains. After ten years, Marin de Saint Exupéry @marinstex reflects on why stepping away was the only honest choice. You continue to inspire us, Marin. We are delighted you will continue to ride our bikes, out of choice. A lovely short film, shot for Fairlight by Lloyd J Wright @lloydjwright . As much a reflection on life as it is on racing.

What a rig. What a guy! Last week, @lloydjwright was out in Switzerland with @marinstex , working on a film for us — reflecting on Marin’s last couple of years of riding and racing, and what the future holds for him. While he was there, I asked him to shoot this bike. Friend of Fairlight @ruperthartleyphoto had been out to see Marin a few weeks ago and he told me we had to shoot his work bike — because it was cool in all the right ways. And he was absolutely right! On and off over the last few years, Marin has worked as a bicycle courier for @velocite_sarl in Lausanne. He’s often told me how much he loves the work and what a great company it is - legendary, even. Anyway, to the bike. This is a Secan 2.5 that he’s built up for speed, practicality, utility, and fun. A flat-bar setup with fenders, lighting, and a porteur rack. The patina on this thing! The cranks, the shifter, the bell even, all beautifully worn. Ridden hard and often, for a long time. A well-worn tool, as useful now as the day it was built. I probably don’t need to outline the spec list — the photos do a lovely job of showing all the details. If you have a Secan 1.0 / 2.0 / 2.5 and want to fit a rando or porteur rack, the raw black Cempa 3.0 fork is in stock now. 📸 @lloydjwright

I’ve been feeling a little melancholy about Marin calling time on his racing, maybe mixed with the shift from summer into autumn, that familiar sense of something ending. My autumn playlists aren’t helping either, stirring the pot. I should add, Marin is in a good place and absolutely ready for a new chapter. I’ve been looking back through folders of photos and films from his last two years on the bike, and I came across this beautiful cut by @ryan_le_garrec . We never shared this one (we used an alternate edit at the time), but it really struck me when I rewatched it. I must have played it back to back a few times on the train last night. Given our last couple of posts, I thought it was worth sharing here. Lovely scenes, lovely music, and a real sense of that deeply personal experience of riding solo — but also an optimism, the reminder of beauty all around us. And, of course, it makes you want to ride. Beautiful stuff Ryan.

Marin de Saint Exupéry spent 2024 riding from Switzerland to all three of the Mountian Races. After finishing Silk Road, he rode home again. This was the second time he had ridden to Kyrgyzstan. He did it without a smartphone. No one embodies Stay Outside for Longer like Marin. This year staying closer to home is what has inspired him. Exploring the mountains near his home - by bike, on foot and skis, alongside his work as a cycle messenger, is keeping him happy and engaged. Racing will take a back seat for now for the former Atlas Mountain Race winner. We spent some days together in the hills above Vevey. From short early-autumn sunrise loops, to an overnighter in the mountains, spending time with Marin at ‘home’ is always a pleasure.

This weekend @thetranscontinental Race No.11 begins in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. The TCR is without doubt the race that changed everything for the ultra-endurance scene; taking it from the fringest of niches to something that is truly aspirational for all of us. This is all because of the late Mike Hall, of course. #BeMoreMike This year, team rider Marin de Saint Exupéry @marinstex will line up for his fifth time, and racing a Strael 4.0 (more on his build spec tomorrow). I love Marin’s attitude, values and outlook - his words below resonate: ✍️ “TCR, again and again, for a 5th time. TCR is the reason I came to long-distance self-supported races. It felt so simple and beautiful. On your own, on a bike, crossing Europe at a blistering pace. No complex organisation, no complex peloton, no complex machines - just people on simple bikes doing something hard to believe. At my first attempt I finished second last. I didn’t know anything about being an athlete or performance, but I finished. I was caught by the game. I wanted to learn, improve and go faster. And that’s what I’ve done for years. I love it. What I want is to ride a bike made of steel, because I understand how a steel frame is built. I even built a frame I used while racing my second TCR. I don’t want electronic shifting - it feels like an unnecessarily complex gadget. I don’t understand how it works when the app doesn’t connect to my phone. Speaking of phones - I don’t want one. I don’t want access to the mass of information a smartphone gives us. I’ll carry a sealed brick phone, just for safety. For weekend rides, I removed all the power meters, heart rates or such - to enjoy the ride more than the training. By keeping it simple, I feel better on the bike. Even more excited to start another TCR. Even more hungry to fight for the win.” 🎯 🙏 📸 @mathildewdmn

Notre communauté en mouvement ✨ Une soirée placée sous le signe du vélo, du climat et de la bière 🚴🏼‍♀️ 🌍 🍻 @marinstex – cycliste d’ultradistance, coursier à vélo et nouvel ambassadeur POW – nous a emmené·e·s pour une aventure inspirante: une sortie à vélo depuis Vevey à travers les vignes du Lavaux, jusqu’à @docteurgabs , où son film «Le Coursier» a été projeté autour d’une bonne bière fraîche. En tant que coursier, Marin sillonne Lausanne à vélo – mais sa vie sur deux roues va bien au-delà. Il parcourt des milliers de kilomètres à la seule force de ses jambes pour rejoindre des courses aux quatre coins du monde – du Maroc au Kirghizistan. Et il ne fait pas que participer: il se bat pour être parmi les meilleurs. Son approche montre que la protection du climat n’est pas synonyme de renoncement – c’est une invitation à repenser nos choix, à être créatif et à explorer de nouvelles possibilités. 🌱 Nous avons également profité de l’occasion pour présenter notre campagne «1400 Reasons to Act» en Romandie. A ce propos, un nouveau défi vous attend dès la semaine prochaine. Stay tuned! Un grand merci à @marinstex , @docteurgabs , @bachibouzoukvevey , @testprint.z et à toutes les personnes présentes – pour votre énergie, vos idées et votre engagement 🫶🏼 Deutscher Text unten im Kommentar 📸 @justbe.films #lecoursier #marindesaintexupery #protectourwinters #1400reasonstoact #climateaction #cyclingforchange #drgabs #veveyride #bikesandbeers

🚴🏼‍♀️ Ride. Watch. Act. 🌍 Le 11 juin, rejoins-nous en Romandie pour une soirée placée sous le signe du vélo, du cinéma et de l’action pour le climat. Nous projetons le court-métrage Le Coursier avec @marinstex , ultra-cycliste et ambassadeur POW, suivi d’un Q&A, d’un apéro et d’un atelier de sérigraphie avec notre visuel de campagne. Envie de pédaler avant le film? Rendez-vous à Vevey pour un Social Ride détendu jusqu’à Puidoux, en compagnie de Marin. L’événement s’inscrit dans le cadre de notre campagne 1400 Reasons to Act, qui met en lumière les 1400 glaciers suisses. ⏰ Départ du Social Ride à Vevey: 17h00 📍 Film & Apéro chez @docteurgabs à Puidoux: 18h30 🎟️ Entrée gratuite – inscription obligatoire (lien en bio) 🗣️ Événement en français Tu viens? ✨ ➡️ Plus d’infos & inscription via le lien en bio. // 🚴🏼‍♀️ Ride. Watch. Act. 🌍 Am 11. Juni laden wir dich in die Romandie ein zu einem Abend voller Velo, Film & Klimaschutz. Wir zeigen den Kurzfilm Le Coursier mit Marin de Saint-Exupéry, Ultradistanzfahrer und Mitglied der POW Science Alliance. Danach gibt's Q&A, Apéro & Live-Siebdruck mit unserem Kampagnen-Visual. Wenn du Lust auf Velofahren hast, begleite Marin und uns bei einem entspannter Social Ride von Vevey nach Puidoux. Das Ganze ist Teil unserer Kampagne 1400 Reasons to Act, die die 1400 Schweizer Gletscher sichtbar macht. ⏰ Start Social Ride ab Vevey: 17h00 📍 Film & Apéro bei @docteurgabs in Puidoux: 18h30 🎟️ Eintritt frei – Anmeldung erforderlich (Link in Bio) 🗣️ Sprache: Französisch Bist du dabei? ✨ ➡️ Mehr Infos & Anmeldung über den Link in der Bio. 📸 @lloydjwright #1400reasonstoact #keepswissglacierscool #1400reasons #climateaction #swissglaciers #passiontopurpose #protectourwintersswitzerland

C’est (presque) l’heure de reprendre le départ d’une course. Alors forcément on m’a posé la question, t’y vas à vélo? Et bien pas ce coup ci, car des fois il faut être réaliste, en traversant des continents à la pédale, t’as beau aller loin, ça rend pas forcément plus rapide, ça n’aide pas à être performant. Lors d’une course, en prenant le départ t’as envie de jouer, et pas forcément en catégorie bis, « écolo chelou mais pas méchant ». Ecolo, oui, mais idéalement devant. Bon il y a un truc de sûr, l’avion c’est niet, enfin sur ce coup là c’est facile parce que c’est en Espagne. Demain matin 6 heures c’est parti pour les 560 kilomètres de Traka. Un grand merci pour le soutien @fairlightcycles @albion.cycling @pocsports @apidura Photo prise en Espagne sur la route du Maroc en janvier 2024.

We’re excited to welcome our newest Athlete Alliance member @marinstex . Welcome to POW! 🌍🚴‍♂️ Marin de Saint-Exupéry is a Lausanne-based bike courier and ultra-distance cyclist who has conquered some of the toughest races like the Transcontinental Race, Silk Road Mountain Race, and Atlas Mountain Race. He is a strong advocate for sustainable mobility and constantly challenges himself whether he’s delivering parcels around Lausanne or riding to a race start in Kyrgyzstan. As a specialist in solo performances, Marin is thrilled to join the POW team, working together to protect and preserve what moves us most – our mountains and the environment. 💙 📸 @lloydjwright #teamPOW #climateaction #passiontopurpose#protectourwintersswitzerland

Marin de Saint-Exupéry (@marinstex ) is not new to ultra endurance aficionados, and he is also not new to big rides to arrive at the start line of the most important races in the bikepacking world. But in 2024 he definitely went over the top, reaching and racing the full Mountain Races Series on the bike from and back to his home in Suisse Romande. Basically, he took off on January 1st and he rode for 11 months showing that fuel is not the only option to move from A to B, despite the distance from A to B being 10 or 30.000 Km. I had the pleasure of having Marin on the @broomwagonpodcast 🚌 for Episode #2 of the 8th season of the podcast. And it was awesome. Photos by @lloydjwright on the awesome 2024 edition of the @silkroadmountainrace

Congratulations to Marin @marinstex on his 5th place finish at the @silkroadmountainrace . He covered the 1,938Km course in 7d 10h 23m. It means Marin has ridden nearly 22,000Km on his Holt this year and he still has a 9,000Km ride home to France, where he hopes to arrive in December. Marin is a humble and appreciative person and I think that reveals itself in his perspective and outlook. Simply put, he is a man who is grateful for life. His withdrawl at the Atlas Race in February, due to food poisoning, was of course a great disappointment but his subsequent 2nd place finish at the Hellenic Race in May showed great strength. Despite the great result at the Hellenic, there was some regret, as he suffered terribly with stomach cramps, which dampened the experience somewhat. After riding 20,000Km to reach Kyrgyzstan, there was obviously some fatigue, but Marin did not suffer the fate of illness or injury and was able to “race well”, which is all he ever wants to do. He enjoyed the ride for what it was. The year so far hasn’t been perfect, but of course it was never meant to be; Ebbs and flows, highs and lows, meeting people and places; it is synonymous with the game of life itself. The true reward is character and perspective. We salute you Marin and are proud you are riding a Fairlight for this remarkable journey. But for now, yet again, THE JOURNEY CONTINUES……. 📸 @lloydjwright

Update from the @silkroadmountainrace . Marin @marinstex is currently in 4th position, having covered 1,420Km of the 1,938Km course. He is only 5Km behind Ron Roosmalen in 3rd place. The riders in 1st and 2nd place (Joseph Nation and Tom Schwemberger) have both covered 1,515Km so have put a decent gap into the rest of the field, but it is is difficult to know who has slept and who hasn’t. Super exciting to follow along and still a long way to go across brutal terrain. Here is Marin on the old Soviet Road, with steep rutted tracks that require some hike-a-bike. It really is astonishing what these riders put themselves through. The ‘stripped back’ feeling whilst being engulfed yet mesmerised by the landscape, must be something you never forget; hard earned. Fellow team rider @carlhopps is in 42nd place and about to pass the 1000Km mark. Chapeau Carl. Keep your eyes on the dots folks!! Shout out to ex-employee @lloydjwright (well, he still does LOTS of freelance for us) who has covered all the Mountain Race series this year and is knocking it out the park with his photos. So good to see folks thrive.