Interview with Florian Moreau
Some projects are told in numbers. Others are told in landscapes. Arctic Tropic is both: 27 days, 9,400 km on a bike, and a route that runs through every climate Europe and North Africa have to offer. From the midnight sun at North Cape to the dunes of Western Sahara, Florian Moreau rode from the Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Cancer, racing the Northcap-Tarifa route along the first two-thirds of the way. We caught up with him after he got back.
~5 min read · Jump to: The route · The gear · The climate · FAQ · Shop the kit
The Route: North Cape to the Tropic of Cancer
Can you introduce the Arctic Tropic project in a few words: the route, the distance, the duration?
The project was to start at North Cape and ride to the Tropic of Cancer, in Western Sahara. To give the route a clean line and a bit of a challenge, I decided to fold in the Northcap-Tarifa race for the first two-thirds of it. All together that was 9,400 km, including 7,400 km of racing. I gave myself 4 weeks for the whole project, and under 3 weeks for the race itself: the course record.
Why this exact route, from North Cape to the Tropic of Cancer?
The idea was to connect the polar circle to the tropics so that a single route would carry completely opposite climates, as well as a huge range of landscapes and cultures.
How did the preparation go, physically and logistically, before the start? What stood out most over these 27 days?
In the final weeks I felt pain in my knee. My postural specialist and I reworked my position just before departure. I wasn't very confident going in, but the issue resolved itself and I had no knee pain during the race. Beyond that, my only physical problem was serious chafing from saddle sores, caused by my choice to test a non-Velor suit: an aerodynamic one with a built-in hydration pack. That turned out to be the wrong call. At the race's midpoint I had to stop and buy a pair of shorts that only partly solved the problem. I could only get a Velor bib shorts sent to the finish line for the final leg of the trip, since the race itself didn't allow outside support.
Beyond all that, what stood out most was the sheer diversity and beauty of the landscapes. Going from a polar summer environment under the midnight sun, to the deserts of the Sahara, by way of the highest peaks in Europe's mountain ranges: that would have seemed completely unimaginable to me a few years ago.
"I wasn't very confident going in, but the issue resolved itself. The only real problem was the one piece of kit that wasn't Velor."
The Gear: One Kit, 9,400 km
Which VELOR pieces did you wear across the 27 days, in rotation or continuously?
I set off with the neck gaiter made from recycled cycling jerseys, which I'd just received, along with the Velor jacket and gilet. For the first 2,000 km they barely left my body. After that, they were essential at night and on the descents off the mountain passes. As for the Velor bib shorts, the ones I normally ride in, they simply saved me for the final 2,000 km. I paired them with the Velor jersey I'd also worn earlier in the year at Race Around Rwanda, a 1,000 km gravel race.
How did the clothing hold up over the distance? Chafing, seams, elasticity, fading?
As always, I had zero issues with the Velor gear.
Was there a moment you felt the material wearing out, or on the flip side, a piece that surprised you with how well it held up?
I never felt the clothing wear out over the kilometers. The jacket-and-gilet combo makes it easy to ride comfortably in cool conditions. On day one, it was a steady 8°C, at midnight and at midday alike.
How did the clothing handle the temperature swings between North Cape and the warmer climate further south?
In Morocco, conditions were warm but not extreme, since I was riding along the Atlantic coast. The bib shorts and jersey combo was perfect.
Did you have to wash, dry, or repair anything along the way, with such minimal gear?
During the race, every minute counts, so I only washed my kit twice across the full 4 weeks. No particular issues, aside from the bib shorts episode mentioned above.
Over a distance like this, what matters most in technical clothing: comfort, durability, or the ability to adapt to the climate?
Over a distance like this, durability and quality matter, but never at the expense of comfort and practicality. Aerodynamics matters when you want to go very, very fast, but only to a limited extent. In the end, that other suit cost me far more time than it ever saved me, because of its durability and comfort problems.
- 27 days on the road, one jacket, one gilet, one bib shorts, one jersey.
- 9,400 km covered, including 7,400 km of racing.
- 2 washes total across the full trip.
- 0 issues with any piece of Velor kit, across every climate on the route.
The Climate: What 9,400 km of Warming Looks Like
Crossing so many climate zones in such a short time, what did you observe firsthand about warming?
Unsurprisingly, the two most desert-like places I crossed sat at the start and end of my route: North Cape and the Sahara. But the clearest signs of climate change were actually in France, Andorra, and Spain. The heatwave hit hard, with temperatures above 40°C and huge wildfires breaking out right after I passed through. It raised a lot of questions for me.
Was there a specific place where climate change felt especially visible to you?
Really, it was southern Europe: the heatwave temperatures there ended up being higher than during my last week in Africa. I had to adjust my sleep schedule as a result. I preferred to sleep in the afternoon and ride at night during that heatwave stretch.
Cycling as a mode of travel means moving slower and more consciously. What did that teach you about your relationship to consumption and impact?
I travel in an extremely minimalist way, so I can move as fast as possible and finish the route within my time constraints. So it's just my bike, one kit, a computer, a repair kit, a small sleeping bag and bivy in case I can't find a hotel, a phone, and fuel, meaning food and water. The rhythm of each day is just as simple: ride, sleep, eat, drink, and take in the landscape.
What do you think this project says about the link between human effort, durable gear, and environmental impact?
This project shows how fragile our beautiful planet is, and, at the same time, that you can find a lot of joy in living simply.
The kit that made it from the Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Cancer, unchanged.
Shop Florian's KitFrequently Asked Questions
What is the Arctic Tropic project?
Arctic Tropic is Florian Moreau's 9,400 km solo cycling project from North Cape, at the top of Norway, to the Tropic of Cancer in Western Sahara. He completed it in 27 days, folding in the Northcap-Tarifa ultra-distance race for the first two-thirds of the route.
Which Velor pieces did Florian Moreau wear during Arctic Tropic?
A neck gaiter made from recycled cycling jerseys, the Velor jacket and windproof gilet, a Velor jersey, and Velor bib shorts, worn in rotation across every climate on the route, from the polar circle to the Sahara.
How did the Velor kit hold up over 9,400 km?
Without issue. Florian reports zero chafing, seam, elasticity, or fading problems with any Velor piece across the full distance. The only equipment failure on the trip came from a non-Velor suit he tested for the race, which caused saddle sores serious enough to require a mid-race stop.
What did the trip reveal about climate change in Europe?
The clearest signs weren't in the Sahara, they were in France, Andorra, and Spain, where a heatwave pushed temperatures above 40°C and triggered wildfires just after Florian passed through, with temperatures there exceeding what he experienced during his final week in Africa.
Go Further
If Arctic Tropic is your kind of distance, these go further: winning the Desertus Bikus, 1,200 km of ultra cycling through Spain, the Seven Serpents Ultra and the gear that held up over 1,000 km, and Julien Chorier's 500 km at GRAAALPS in the Alps. And once your own kit has covered a few thousand kilometers, here's how to wash recycled polyester cycling kit the right way, so it lasts as long as Florian's did.
Shop Florian's Kit
The three pieces that rode from the Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Cancer without a single issue.
A huge thank you to Florian for his time, and for carrying Velor from the polar circle to the Tropic of Cancer. Explore the full Velor range at velor-cycling.com.
