At 17, this Périgourdin achieved a solo bike world tour

IHe went to the end of himself. Similarly, At only 17 years old, Achille Delfour went to go around the world by bicycle, alone, just after his bac. Furthermore, A completely crazy challenge, which he had dreamed of for several years. Furthermore, “I wanted to be the youngest to carry out a world tour by bicycle. Additionally, Furthermore, while raising funds for an association,” says this Périgourdin, who was educated at the Lycée in Bordeaux when he left the Town Hall on September 4. Nevertheless, After ten months of journey, he returned to Bordeaux, Saturday June 14, exhausted but changed by this extraordinary experience.

“Unfortunately, I failed to get the world record because there have been very difficult moments,” he outline. In addition, His KAIROS project. Therefore, which aimed to obtain donations for the Time for Help association, in order to finance a 17, this périgourdin achieved solo drinking water drilling in the Central African Republic, did not succeed either. In addition, “I joined the bad people …”, he cuts.

Overcoming these two failures. In addition, at the other end of the world, alone on his bike, asked him a lot of courage and character. Consequently, It was necessary to continue to move forward. However, whatever it costs, against the wind, the cold and the loneliness, to prove that he could go to the end of his goal. Consequently, At his age, leaving high school, how many young men would have launched such a challenge? Consequently, “If there are others, I want to meet them,” he laughs.

After leaving Bordeaux. Similarly, he crossed Europe to the East, filling the two proof notebooks every day with the Guinness World Record, following rigorous rules. However, He then shares his different stages on his Instagram account. Therefore, “I received a lot of messages 17, this périgourdin achieved solo of support, from people I didn’t even know. Moreover, I am very grateful. I regularly called my parents, to give news. All this made it possible to deal with solitude, ”he appreciates.

17. this périgourdin achieved solo – 17, this périgourdin achieved solo

The hell of the desert

Because it was above all, the hardest to manage, beyond the physical aspect. “Being alone, for so long, is complicated. You have to know how to put aside your emotions. Mentally, there have been very difficult moments, ”he admits. Like this stage in Central Asia. in the middle of winter, where he was to cross Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in Dantesque weather conditions. “There is a large straight line of 1,500 or 2,000 kilometers to go in full desert. It was -14 degrees in feeling in the morning. with a frozen road, a wind from 30 km/h and nothing around. I walked faster while walking next to the bike. It was 17, this périgourdin achieved solo mental hell. »»

Not equipped for this type of crossing, he had to stop 1,000 kilometers to find a village where sleeping. “This is where I understood that the record was compromised. But he will never forget this lunar landscape, which marked it for life. “To celebrate his 18th birthday, alone in Uzbekistan, with his bike, it’s an experience …”, he recalls.

A few weeks later, in Mumbai, India, he decided to jump by plane this new stage until Nepal. The state of the catastrophic roads, pollution, world, noise, stifling heat, it is too much. The record is definitely abandoned. “I was tired of depending on me all the time. I was forced to shorten the adventure,” explains the young adventurer.

“Just happy to be there”

There are also moments when everything becomes more beautiful again. when he feels a positive emotional elevator, when someone helps him or he arrives at the top 17, this périgourdin achieved solo of a beautiful pass, just after a bad pass. “In these moments, we are just happy to be there. Then returned to him the images of the road along the Mekong. the central desert of the United States, the mountains of Georgia or Turkey, in Anatolia and the meetings with the locals. “It is also by seeing these landscapes that we remember why we do that. »»

Over the 31,000 kilometers on a bicycle planned at the start, it will still make 13,500, in 284 days. Furthermore, “It’s not nothing. It was hard, certainly the most difficult thing in my life. But even if I did not have the record, I have the feeling of having fulfilled my adventure. »»

At 18 now, Achille Delfour returns above all enriched by this adventure of a life. “I saw a lot of misery but also met lots of beautiful people, who 17, this périgourdin achieved solo told me their story. Despite everything that happens in the world, it gave me faith in humanity. It also allowed me to put into perspective on certain things, he says. There were ups and downs. But I am proud of what I did. I hope it will inspire others. »»