When I first started imagining The Grain, it was never just about drawing a line between Düsseldorf and Dijon. This project grew out of a deeply personal story.
France and Germany. Two countries that have shaped my journey, my encounters, and my vision of cycling. The idea quickly became obvious: to connect Düsseldorf, a city where I once lived and where a particularly vibrant cycling community has flourished, with Dijon, where I now live and where I founded scops.
Two cities symbolically linked by their shared history with mustard.
But above all, The Grain was meant to transform a personal story into a collective adventure. To create an opportunity for cyclists from different backgrounds to meet, share kilometres, challenges, improvised meals and, ultimately, shared memories.
Today, after this first edition, it is difficult to put into words everything we have seen, experienced and felt.
On paper, The Grain was “only” 860 kilometres long, with more than 12,000 metres of elevation gain. In reality, it was five days filled with uncertainty, encounters, fatigue, perseverance and discovery.
The weather decided to give us nothing for free. Rain, wind, cold nights and muddy trails added another layer of difficulty to an already demanding route. I knew the challenge would be significant for many participants and, in all likelihood, underestimated. In the end, it proved even harder than expected.
But aren’t those the experiences that leave the deepest memories?
We saw participants keep going despite their doubts. Others changed their plans, improvised and adapted. We saw smiles at improbable hours, shared meals at checkpoints, conversations by the side of the trail and emotional finishes.
We also witnessed something I had hoped for from the very beginning: connections. Between people who had been strangers only a few days earlier and who now shared a common story.
Creating a new event means accepting a degree of uncertainty. Some things worked exactly as I had imagined. Others will evolve. We have carefully noted the feedback, comments, ideas and suggestions shared throughout the week. They will be invaluable in shaping what comes next.
Above all, I would like to thank the participants who placed their trust in us for this first edition.
Some already knew scops events. Their loyalty and trust mean a great deal to me. Others knew neither scops nor me personally. It takes even more courage, curiosity and trust to embark on an adventure whose story is still being written.
So, simply: thank you.
I would also like to thank our volunteers, partners, photographers, videographers and everyone who contributed, directly or indirectly, to making this adventure possible.
This first edition is coming to an end, but it feels much more like a beginning than a conclusion.
2027 is already taking shape in mustard yellow, dusted with gravel.
I can’t wait.
Pierre-Charles
scops