TEAM HUMAN RIDE RACE ACROSS SERIES
Making ultra-distance running more inclusive
Making ultra-distance running more inclusive
In 2026, for the second time, a team composed entirely of athletes with disabilities will take part in the Race Across France, covering distances ranging from 200 to 2,500 km.
Led by Boris Ghirardi, Team Human Ride (formerly “Team Adaptive”) has a clear mission: to make ultra-cycling a platform for inclusion, personal growth, and changing perceptions.
Each member of this team brings their own story, strengths, and unique qualities to the table. Together, they push the physical, mental, and symbolic boundaries of what is believed to be possible in ultra-endurance.
These biographies tell a story that goes far beyond a commitment to sports. They bear witness to a growing movement: that of ultra-cycling accessible to everyone.
A groundbreaking first edition
In 2025, at the Race Across France, we welcomed several athletes with disabilities to participate in various race distances (1,000, 500, 300, and 200 km), integrating them into the heart of the event.
This initial experiment was developed in close collaboration with the athletes involved, their support staff, and Boris, our team leader. It enabled us to:
Concretely testing the accessibility of our routes and living quarters
Adapt certain protocols (briefings, follow-up, logistics)
Identify our strengths, but also our limitations
Opening a transparent dialogue on what inclusion means in an ultra-distance event
More than just participation, this edition laid the foundations for in-depth work.
Team Human Ride at the Race Across Series - Ultra-Cycling - The Basics
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Break the rules.
Ultra-distance racing has long been seen as out of reach.
With Team Human Ride, we’re challenging these stereotypes by opening the starting line to athletes with disabilities, integrating them into the heart of the event, and putting them to the test in demanding and challenging races.
Because ultra-distance racing isn’t just about performance—it’s about determination, independence, and resilience. -
Build with, not for
Team Human Ride wasn’t conceived in an office. Originally conceived by Boris Ghirardi and the UTMB teams,
the project is developed in collaboration with the athletes, their support staff, and the Race Across teams, taking into account the realities on the ground, specific needs, and the challenges of ultra-distance racing.
Adapting, yes—but always with attentiveness, responsibility, and sporting integrity, thanks to our team leader, Boris -
Advancing the event in a sustainable manner
Inclusion is not a one-off event, it is a fundamental undertaking.
Each contribution from Team Adaptive feeds into a broader reflection on accessibility, safety, and the athlete experience.
The goal: to transform these lessons into concrete actions and build a charter of inclusivity to advance the Race Across Series in a sustainable way.
Team Human Ride athletes at the 2026 Race Across France
🚴♂️ Boris Ghirardi
FRANCE · 200 km By Night · Below-knee amputee
Boris Ghirardi, 53, also known as “Robot Foot,” has turned his amputation—the result of a motorcycle accident in 2019—into a driving force for innovation and inclusion in sports. He advocates for uncompromising accessibility in outdoor sports. A former athlete with the Salomon Para-Team, he has helped develop adaptive equipment through the startup Hopper. As founder of the Level Up – Beyond Limits association, he supports people with amputations in achieving independence through sports.
His message: “Sports is a level playing field, where every challenge should be within everyone’s reach, without exception.”
Instagram: @pied_de_robot
Sponsors: Nutripure / Jolt — Team Manager, Team Human Ride
🏊♂️🚴♂️🏃♂️ Stéphane Bahier
FRANCE · 2,500 km · Above-knee amputee
A former physical education teacher and 3rd-degree black belt in judo, Stéphane Bahier lost a leg in a motorcycle accident in 2004. He rebuilt his life through sports and became one of the leading figures in French paratriathlon: a two-time world champion, European medalist, and Paralympian in Beijing and Rio. In 2025, he crossed the finish line of the 1,000-km Race Across France for the first time. In 2026, he took on the ultimate challenge: 2,500 km, from Hendaye to Mandelieu. A new chapter in his incredible journey.
Instagram: @stephanebahier
🚴 Jonathan Josse
FRANCE · 200 km By Night · Paraplegic
In January 2009, in Saumur, a scooter accident left Jonathan Josse paraplegic at the age of 24. His recovery involved sports: starting in 2010, he took up handcycling and tackled a series of endurance challenges—including a handcycle tour of France and over 2,500 km on a recumbent bike—to raise public awareness about disability and road safety. As president of the LATIMAGINO association and deputy mayor for sports in the City of Saumur, he uses sports as a tool for inclusion as much as a personal endeavor. In June 2026, he will compete in the 200 km By Night stage of the Race Across France to write a new chapter.
Instagram: @gino7218
🚴♀️ Charlène Mourot
FRANCE · 300 km · Clubfoot (varus equinus)
Born with clubfoot, Charlène Mourot underwent her first surgery at birth. Her weakened left leg developed differently… Charlène discovered para-cycling with admiration at the Paris Games and decided to give it a try! In 2025, riding for ES Seynod, she competed in the French Championships in the WC5 category. In 2026, she joined the Hutchinson x SheRides team and took on the long-distance challenge of the 300-km Race Across France. Through this challenge, she hopes to inspire confidence and legitimacy so that more women will dare to get on a bike, regardless of their skill level, background, or goals.
Instagram:@chamourow
🏉 Yanis Debaud
FRANCE · 500 km · Paralysed foot lifter
At age 23, Yanis Debaud, a former player for the Rugby Club Nîmois, saw his life turned upside down by a serious accident that left him with partial paralysis of his foot. Far from giving up, he turned this ordeal into a source of motivation. Running became for him a space of freedom, resilience, and redemption. As a member of Team Human Ride, he will take on the 500-kilometer Race Across France challenge in 2026. His mission: to prove that effort can transcend pain, and that joy often arises where we least expect it.
Instagram: @yanis.debaud
🚴♀️ Céline Guidicelli
FRANCE · 300 km · Ankylosing spondylitis
In November 2024, Céline Guidicelli received a diagnosis: ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease. Constant pain in her hips and back, persistent fatigue, with no cure in sight. As a psychomotor therapist and the city of Riorges’s representative for disability and inclusion, she understands disability from both sides—professionally and now firsthand. Her solution: cycling. In July 2025, she cycled 250 km to raise awareness about invisible disabilities. Competing in the NE category of para-cycling, she will take part in the 300 km Race Across France in 2026 to turn the invisible into a visible force.
Instagram: @guline.sport.life
