At the age when little boys start playing with soccer balls, Julien Egle was learning to balance on a bike. As soon as he could pedal without anyone’s help, this young Antibes adoptee never left his “childhood toy.” At 15, he got his first racing bike and joined the Olympic Cycling Club of Antibes (OCCA).
Today, on the cusp of his 23rd birthday, Julien Egle is more motivated than ever. His passion for cycling has not waned.
– Julien Egle, who is he?
I was born in Paris and grew up in Italy until I was 14. I have been living in Antibes for 8 years and I race for the Olympic Cycling Club of Antibes both on road and in mountain biking. (See https://occantibes.free.fr) I am a student in computer management in Nice. I am passionate in general. I have always practiced sports: skiing and gliding sports, rollerblading, tennis, basketball, baseball.
I love nature, hiking, and I enjoy spending good times with my friends and of course partying when possible.
– Have you ever had difficulties combining Studies and Sports during your life?
Sport for me is a way of living, and on the contrary, it has given me strength in my daily life and especially in my studies. Instead of spending my after-school time in front of the TV or on video games, I was on the bike.
– Where does your passion for cycling come from?
From my grandfather who raced as an amateur with the great champion Jacques Anquetil. Every summer, we watched the Tour de France and he would comment on the race live, explaining his personal experiences, igniting a real passion in me.
– To do this sport, I suppose you need a certain lifestyle, what diet do you follow?
It is a sport where we cultivate a way of life and a culture of hygiene. It’s not based on deprivation as some might think. It is a lifestyle based on sufficiently restorative sleep, a balanced life, and especially knowing how to eat intelligently. You have to put the right fuel in the tank at the right time, to put it figuratively. In summary, the goal is to be “well in your head, well in your body,” because being efficient in cycling is also and above all in the head.
– Are there any constraints to practicing this sport?
Constraints, yes and no. I wouldn’t exactly call it a constraint when you feel the good that cycling does to you. But it’s true that we don’t spend too many weekends in nightclubs but rather resting and traveling for the Sunday race.
– What is your best sporting memory?
My best sporting memory is from this year. I had the honor of being selected for the French Elite MTB Championships at Bourg d’Oisans in July after (ranking 3rd in the final regional cup standings). It wasn’t so much the result that satisfied me: 88th after several mechanical issues, but especially the honor of being alongside great champions like the Olympic gold medalists from Athens and Sydney: Julien Absalon, Miguel Martinez, and having an unforgettable weekend with people I appreciate.
– On March 19, 2005, you made the front page of Nice Matin during the Cyclosportive IFC – UFOLEP “Roger Calvet.” How did you feel seeing that photo?
It was especially pleasing that some enthusiasts still have passion for this wonderful sport in a region where we are too often rejected. It requires effort from the organizers of a cyclosportive, especially for an event in its first year, to illustrate their race on the front page.