In Gilles's bag

Not just one! In fact, I am the proud owner of several Velocidade bags. I have a Gypaète, a Desman, a Funambule, and the latest addition, a Volcano (all in that magnificent charcoal color). Even if big bikepacking adventures make me dream, the bag I use the most so far is the Gypaète. I find it particularly practical because of its size and its placement on the bike. It is easy to access without hindering proper bike handling. You can 'forget' it there, nestled in the frame, and it won't budge an inch!

It contains fairly standard items: energy bars, a gel, my phone, sometimes a power bank, a piece of fruit, a windbreaker, and occasionally (depending on space) my speaker! The Gypaète truly acts as a 'utility pouch'. Either I'm riding for a few kilometers and my back pockets remain empty, which allows me to be more comfortable on the 'cobblestone walls' near my home. Or it's a longer ride, and I can also fill my pockets and carry twice as much gear, food, etc., without having to cram my pockets and look like a dromedary, or attach another bag since this one is quite large and practical!

My windbreaker! This very thin jacket is a must-have for all my bike rides. Whether it's in Belgium and the rain starts to fall (how about that), or on mountain passes, just before the descent, I pull out my windbreaker and go from freezing or drenched to dry and warm!

My current bike is still my first road bike. It's an Orbea Orca M30 in a magnificent orange color. This wonderful machine, nicknamed 'Los Bolidos', has been with me on my rides for almost 6 years and passed the 10,000 km mark last year. It's equipped with classic Shimano 105 with 2x 11 speeds. The only change I've made (apart from the brake pads) is the tires. I opted for wider tires, with good grooves for the rain to avoid crashes as much as possible and to be able to ride on some trails.

I recently fell for a gravel bike, from the brand Motobécane, in an equally beautiful orange, which allows me to go on even more trails and even, since this year, try cyclocross! This is also the bike I took for my last bikepacking trip, from Lucerne to Trento, passing through the great Italian lakes. Such a machine is more comfortable and goes everywhere, which facilitates routes and many hours in the saddle.

What I'm about to tell you happened on the second day of the triptych between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Adriatic Sea, about 300 kilometers, which I did with Louis, my faithful partner for all these adventures. We left Siena early in the morning, still enchanted by this magnificent city and a little weighed down by our lunch on the Piazza del Campo, when my rental bike started showing signs of weakness on the freewheel side. A few kilometers later, I was pedaling completely in the void. Nothing in our panniers allowed us to fix it, and while I considered using my shoelaces to tie the cassette to the wheel, Louis continued to the next village to ask for zip ties (fascette in Italian) to do the same. He came back with a few, which allowed us, with this makeshift repair, to get to a small bike shop where the mechanism was cleaned, allowing me to ride until the end of the journey.

But the funniest part happened when Louis went to get those little life-saving pieces of plastic! Indeed, not speaking Italian, he had initially asked an elderly villager if he had any fascisti... and found his reaction a bit cold... Needless to say, pronouncing such a word in Italy today is not a good way to make friends! But Louis quickly corrected himself and pronounced the word correctly, eliciting a completely different reaction from the kind man.

After this Italian lesson and the rescue of our trip by this mechanic, we continued our journey, obviously delayed by all these adventures. What a pleasure it was to be welcomed by Italians for the night (via the WarmShower app), to eat a traditional meal with them, and to spend a wonderful evening despite our differences in football matters! While at the beginning of the day we thought the trip would end there, at the gates of Siena, we managed to reach our goal and experience a magnificent adventure in the heart of Italy, all thanks to cycling!

Unlike the previous question, I will be concise. I love cycling for three reasons: The feeling of freedom, Pushing my limits, and Discovering roads and people.

This day would begin in summer, in Tuscany, as I open my tent door already bathed in sunlight. Quick packing and (small) breakfast, I hop on my bike, heading towards Siena! I take my time riding, not worrying about the average speed, yet I still have over a hundred kilometers to cover. After the countryside and the cypresses, I approach the mythical climb of the Strade Bianche: the Via Santa Caterina! I launch myself into it and, despite my panniers, finish the climb in record time, carried by the memories of Julian Alaphilippe and Wout van Aert's victories. I stop at noon in this magnificent city, eat on the Piazza del Campo before setting off again on these white gravel roads, heading for the water, sand, and waves. After a carefree afternoon full of encounters and beautiful views, I arrive at the Tyrrhenian Sea and jump in to cool off and beautifully end this journey. And of course, I spend the evening with locals, their sweet language in my ear, and a good 100% Italian meal!

I currently have four bike-packing projects in mind. First, I dream of (re)discovering Scotland by bike. I've already been there twice, and the atmosphere, the landscapes, and also the possibility of pitching your tent wherever you want (thanks to the Free Roam Act) make it the perfect destination for a first solo adventure! Poland and Portugal are two other countries I'd love to discover by bike. What do they have in common? I have two cycling acquaintances from these countries who would be happy to show me their homelands on two wheels. Finally, I followed the Atlas Mountain Race this year and I must say it's an Ultracycling event that greatly attracts me. But I still need a lot of training first!