Maël Féron

Maël is an Enduro racer from the South of France.

I’m from the south of France where I’ve been riding bikes since I was 5. I’m currently studying mechanical engineering in Strasbourg, so my everyday life is a mix of working for school and riding! I’m lucky to be able to both thanks to the High-Level Athlete at INSA.

I still remember my first time riding a bike without stabilisers. It was at a campsite with my parents. Ever since that moment, I never stopped biking. At first, it was just Sunday rides, but then I joined a club. When I was younger, I mainly rode Cross Country at a regional level, but I also enjoyed BMX and trials. I simply loved having fun on my bike.

Riding Cross Country with my friends was great, but I wasn’t the strongest racer. However, I was pretty good in technical and fast sections, so in 2022, I bought my first enduro bike and started competing in National Cups. Things went well quickly, and by the end of the season, I finished 2nd overall in the French Cup Juniors. That success gave me the opportunity to join a French enduro team, where I continued racing the French Cups and a few EDR World Cups. In 2023, I placed 4th overall in the French Cup Men’s category and finished 2nd at the Open World Cup in Loudenvielle. That result gave me the chance to step up to the U21 Pro EDR category the following year!

2024 was my best season so far. I raced a full EDR World Cup season, managed two top 10 finishes, and ended up 15th overall. Besides that, I discovered mass-start races and absolutely loved them! The intensity of runs lasting between 20 and 50 minutes was something new and exciting for me.

I’d describe my riding style as versatile because of the wide variety of bikes I’ve ridden. But what I love the most are technical trails with trial sections and rocks!

For me, enduro represents freedom. You can ride your bike however you want, wherever you want. That’s why my favorite thing is exploring new mountain trails and traveling the world. When I moved to Strasbourg two years ago for my studies, I discovered the Vosges, and I instantly fell in love with the trails there! Even though it gets cold in winter, the mountains are full of loam, and the grip is insane!

For my first year with Deviate, I’ve gone for the XL Claymore. After testing it, I felt like the bike was faster than me! I loved how dynamic it was, both uphill and downhill. It’s going to be the perfect weapon for all kinds of races, starting with the Epic Enduro (the hardest enduro race in France). I’m also lucky to be supported by two bike shops in France, Gem Bikes and Espace Cycles, who provide me with all the parts I need, along with my other sponsors.

Last year, I worked on my first film: Notre Tour du Mont Blanc. This documentary tells the story of my adventure around the highest mountain in the Alps with a friend. We weren’t the first to attempt it on a mountain bike, but we thought it would be an incredible experience. Two filmmakers followed us by car and filmed us to bring this project to life. It’s the thing I’m most proud of since I started biking.

For the upcoming season, my goal is to race as many mass-start events as possible, including the legendary Megavalanche in La Réunion! I also want to keep pushing my limits with endurance challenges and create original video content to share my adventures.

Follow Mael : Instagram