From Banff to Mexico: a former professional cyclist travels 4,500 km… and comes face to face with a grizzly bear

Marie-Soleil Blais

35 years old – Bromont

Cyclist

· Tour Divide 2023

For what?

“It was a huge event that really scared me. I was afraid of riding at night, in the forest, surrounded by wild animals, including bears. But this challenge attracted me in order to come out stronger.”

A long-time road cycling pro and member of the national team until 2022, Marie-Soleil Blais took a completely different path after realizing that she no longer fit the mold. The friendly Quebecer swapped the gleaming road bike for a trail bike in order to take on long-distance events.

As a testing ground, she participated in the “endless” Tour Divide twice rather than once. A completely independent test that she did the first time in secret and the second, officially.

The Tour Divide is a very long hike on the winding trails of North America. The event begins in Banff, Alberta, following the famous bike trail of the same name along the mountain ranges. It ends 4,500 kilometers further south, on the border of the United States and Mexico. The finish line is squarely the border separating Antelope Wells from El Berrendo.

If she dreamed of crossing America by bike after meeting a cycle tourist who arrived in Trois-Rivières from Boston when she was just 12 years old, Blais’ dreams subsequently changed.

Olympic mourning

The time trial specialist cyclist wanted to participate in the Olympic Games. For a multitude of reasons, including the UCI’s scoring system during the pandemic and decisions by the Canadian team, she missed the window of opportunity for those in Tokyo. She is currently grieving the painful mourning of those in Paris since she found another route that made her happy.

“I have done everything and tried everything. I see that there is something else in life. I believe I have found what is best for me. The Tour Divide helped me get there,” explains the 35-year-old cyclist with a trembling voice. His job had rarely allowed him to pocket more than $20,000 per year. Even among the pros when she rode for a Spanish team.

“When I did the Tour Divide in secret in 2022 to see if I could do it while scouting, I felt so good. I felt in my place, she recounts, holding back her sobs. My voice told me to go wherever I wanted rather than going back to the closed doors. It’s moving, because I’ve been fully invested for so many years.”

Blais was no longer able to endure the rigid and uncompromising framework of the world of road cycling. She was no longer set to “shut up and accept the nonsense” and swallow her frustrations.

From 70 to 20 days

Blais has a strong, flamboyant and colorful personality. Passionate, intense and determined, she likes to live to the fullest.

The Tour Divide had intrigued her ever since she watched a documentary about it. She wanted to take on a real challenge and face her fears: take a long bike trip through mountain and forest trails, sleep outside, camp and ride among forest animals.

“It’s a huge ordeal. She scared me. But you have to confront them to succeed and come out stronger,” she says.

Cycle tourists complete the 4,500 kilometer journey in 70 days. The endurance machines of the Tour Divide, in less than twenty days.

With a final time of 19 days, 9 hours and 26 minutes, the Quebecer took 8^e rank among women after an intense and hot fight.

“There’s no real stopping. I rode an average of 220 km per day with a loaded bike. Nights consist of two hours of sleep, on average. Over 24 hours, eating, washing properly to avoid infections and maintaining equipment all eat up time. You have to know how to manage your time well and charge your batteries.”

Severe pain

It was all the more difficult for the one who previously stood out in sprints. She also kept her “bad eating habits” fueled by sugar. Everything is there: soft drinks, chocolate, sweets, bread, etc. Which caused him pain in his mouth, tongue, teeth and stomach aches.

“This pace wasn’t over two days, but over 19. It’s really inexperience. I didn’t have the energy to digest properly. My stomach was constantly under stress.”

Having ridden bikes for years, she thought she would be able to endure the pain of the position in addition to her saddle, but she had seen nothing for thousands of kilometers.

“My butt hurt without common sense,” she laughs.

However, she was able to forget the pain while contemplating the magnificent landscapes of the journey passing through Wyoming, Montana, Colorado on one, if not the longest mountain bike trail in the world.

Extreme feeling

Despite the obstacles encountered and the challenges overcome, Blais believes he learned nothing during his official test in 2023, other than to better manage his energy efficiency.

“In my personality, I did not discover strengths, because I knew them. Ditto for my weaknesses, explained the one who was aiming for the finish line in 18 days.

“I pursued a goal by running after the girls in front of me on the route,” she continues. The greatest sense of pride, accomplishment, comes from the most difficult trials. I experienced this by overcoming my fears.

“The feeling of extreme satisfaction comes in extreme challenges. We cross the transformed finish line.”

Blais found his calling and will never forget it. She also made an interesting documentary about her adventure.

Face to face with a grizzly from the start

When she decided that she was embarking on the Tour Divide, Marie-Soleil Blais first wanted to discover the challenge that awaited her. On the sly, she slipped into the 2022 edition. Very quickly, she faced one of her main fears when she came face to face with a grizzly bear while leaving Banff.

“I got the fright of my life. So much so that I got drunk,” she says with enthusiasm and humor.

The omnivorous mammal weighing 125 to 350 kilos inhabits the forests of western Canada. Knowing very well that she could possibly encounter one on her journey, the Quebecer, who had equipped herself with cans of bear repellent, did not expect to do so so quickly.

“When I saw him, I froze. Getting off my bike, I walked backwards while he walked towards me, staring at me. I was dragging my bicycle and at the same time, I was trying to grab my can. I definitely shouldn’t stop, she says.

“When I got there, I was so panicked that I couldn’t get the cork out with my frozen hands,” she continues. When I did, he wasn’t very far away. While spraying him, I sprayed myself at the same time. He ended up walking away and leaving.”

Spicy snack!

“But for me, in addition to this traumatic encounter which made me nervous for days, I smelled the spices and tasted spicy for quite a while,” summarizes the cyclist on a humorous note.

We guess she kept the repellent nearby for the rest of the 4,000 kilometer journey. The bad encounter, however, gave her confidence, because she now knew how to react and proceed.

During her official participation in the event in 2023, she encountered two mountain lions, also called pumas or cougars. In the darkness, she saw two pairs of eyes with her lamp. But the animals moved away into the forest without her having to use repellent.