From far-flung road races to our sport’s greatest gravel events, remote FKTs to a yet-to-be-announced expedition this summer, the two EF Pro Cycling athletes will share their joy for racing all kinds of bikes with local pelotons across the globe. On road and on dirt, Lachy and Axelle will race their hearts out for the sheer fun of it and celebrate the freedom, pure pleasure, and thrill of cycling on our Far Beyond YouTube channel.

Axelle wants to show that a gravel pro can compete in the WorldTour. The French gravel champion will balance top-class road racing with off-road events, as she builds towards the Traka in Girona and the Leadville 100 high-altitude mountain-bike race. Axelle is excited to embrace both sides of the sport.

“I love gravel for the freedom and connection with nature. Gravel brought me back to the essence of cycling,” Axelle said. “On the road, I really love the structure, the precision, the teamwork. I feel I’m part of something when I am racing with my team. On gravel, it is just me. I really feel myself when I ride gravel. I want to keep this spirit, even if gravel is becoming more professional every year. I am just happy to find the right balance.”

Finding balance has always been Lachy’s strength. From the heights of WorldTour racing to his solo self-supported adventures way out in the wilderness, he’s always sought out the richest cycling experiences. The places he visits and people he gets to meet through cycling matter more to Lachy than any of his results.

“It starts from a place of pure motivation,” he said. “I’m always seeking out things that motivate me, genuinely, right back to seeing the Tour de France for the first time when I was ten years old and realizing that that was a real pursuit, a legitimate sport and something that you could go and do for a living. After I had been road racing for a long time, I had a curiosity for what else was out there on the bike… Now, I am trying to experience as many different races and places and events and routes as I can. It is more of a deeper exploration of different cycling cultures and events in different countries to get a broader view of what cycling means to different people. Once you are exposed to the wider world of cycling, it is hard to close that door again and choose something so singular.”

Lachlan has a great summer adventure in the works. He is still working out the details and is not yet ready to release his plans, but promises that it is going to be one of his hardest efforts yet. Before that, he is going to focus on racing. The 2024 Unbound champion has his sights set on his return to Cape Epic and the Traka.

“The season is going to be a mixture of races that I really like doing and that motivate me a lot and a few new races that have just been etching away at my brain,” Lachy said. “I’ve always put them on the to-do list and will finally get to tick a few off. I want to have a focus earlier in the year on racing and competition and trying to reach a good level of fitness so that I can be competitive, and then my focus will switch to the big project that I have planned for the summer. That is something that really excites and motivates and scares me a little bit. This season is going to be about keeping the blinders off and not being afraid of throwing myself into different elements of bike riding.”

Courage like that is what keeps Lachy and Axelle moving forward.

“There is something powerful about stepping into something new and choosing to grow into it,” Axelle said. “One year ago, if someone would have told me that next year you will be racing with EF Education-Oatly in your national champion kit, I would never have believed it. It still feels unreal to me. I am really proud of that.”

Lachy is stoked to ride into his own unknown again this season.

“The goals and experiences I have chased on the bike have ultimately led me to know myself better, which I think changes your perspective and what you do and the world around you,” he said. “It’s going to be another fun, big year.”

It sure is. Follow Lachy and Axelle’s adventures on our Far Beyond YouTube channel.