©Keno Derleyn
Because diversity is a subject that affects all sports, the Transat Paprec organization spoke with Léna Gérault, 27, double world champion in 2020 and 2021 in mixed mountain bike relay. Born in Briançon, passionate about mountain biking and all outdoor sports, she shares her vision.
Can you tell us about your mixed relay discipline?
There are several disciplines in mountain biking. There is Cross Country which is the Olympic discipline: these are races of about 1h30 on a circuit of 3 to 4 km, with about 150 meters of elevation gain. There is XCC, shorter, about 20 minutes for a circuit of 1.5 km with very little elevation gain. Then there is the marathon, it is a large circuit of 60 to 100 km for girls, with 2 to 3000 meters of elevation gain. In this discipline I am French champion. There is also downhill mountain biking and Trial.
Mixed relay is Cross Country. It is the discipline of the French, European and world championships. We run in teams of 6 with several categories, one man and one woman per category. The junior category (17/18 years old), the U23 category (18 to 23 years old) and the Elite category, from 23 years old to the end of the professional career.
What difference does it make to practice mountain biking in a mixed team?
Practicing mountain biking as a team is necessarily different. I like racing as a team, I like sharing, we pool our strengths to accomplish something. We need each other to move forward together. It's different emotions and sensations.
Diversity brings different points of view and feelings. For example, boys might focus on how to jump an obstacle the furthest, while we might rather see how to approach it technically. Girls might tend to analyze things more. We will discuss together, it is enriching. They will sometimes push us to be more committed. It has already happened to me to follow my teammates on paths that I did not necessarily feel like going. I saw them doing it, they encouraged me by telling me that I was capable of it so I followed them. Boys are not devalued for running alongside girls! It is also up to them to realize that they can bring them something.
Do stereotypes persist in mountain biking?
Yes, mountain biking remains a sport that seems masculine: we are in nature, we ride in all weathers, we get dirty... But we try to fight stereotypes because it is really not reality! We can be feminine, we do not need to be ultra muscular for example! We still lack women but it is evolving, as in all sports. We have obtained to receive the same race bonuses as men, which is absolutely not the case for road cycling.
High-level sport is a reflection of society. In society, it is better seen for a little girl to go dancing than cycling. As athletes, our positions are indirect. We chose to do this sport because we accept that we have not been carried away by the stereotypes of our society. It is a subject that concerns everyone, brands, sponsors, organizers...
What message would you like to send to girls who want to get involved in sports like mountain biking or ocean racing?
We must believe in our dreams! Everything is possible even if we are a woman, we must not limit ourselves, even if sometimes it can seem a little harder than for a man. We must believe in ourselves, not let ourselves be guided by others.
I hope that one day a woman will win a major offshore racing event ahead of the men! That would be the best thing to encourage other women to come and feel legitimate to be there.
