He was told he'd never walk again — now Yannis rides the Grifn RS across Corsica

“After the accident, I started living differently — I began seeing sports through a new lens. My adventures gained a new sense of meaning, and now I savor every single moment,” Yannis smiles. “I’m deeply grateful to be healthy and able to experience this life. Because I know how quickly everything can change, I do everything I can to make my dreams come true. When all is said and done, I won’t have any regrets.”

For Yannis, the bicycle has become central to his pursuit of ultimate freedom. “It symbolizes new encounters and discoveries. Cycling lets you slow down and really take in your surroundings — it brings you to places you might never otherwise go.”

Yannis chose the bike for a new adventure across Corsica — a destination many people know primarily as a hiking paradise. The famous French grande randonnée GR20 attracts tens of thousands of hikers to the island each year. “It really is a paradise,” Yannis says. “I’ve been there many times since I was a kid — my cousins live on the island, and a friend has a second home there. We often went mountain biking and hiking. The hiking trails are more well-known, but the cycling routes are just as stunning.”

Living in Mercantour, Yannis is also not far from Corsica. “I can leave from home by bike, take the ferry from the port of Nice — which is just 90 minutes away — and by the next day, I’m already in Bastia.”

For this adventure, Yannis rode along the island’s west coast. “The Grifn is built for gravel too, but we didn’t bring gravel tires, so we stayed on paved roads. Honestly, this was our first real bikepacking trip, and the focus was entirely on enjoying the ride. We cycled in the mornings, then spent the afternoons walking or swimming. We were on the road for 12 days, covering between 60 and 100 kilometers a day.”

Yannis and his cycling partner didn’t take any chances with the weather. “We planned the trip for spring, and in that season you never really know what to expect. Of course, we were hoping for warm temperatures — which you can enjoy without the summer crowds. In the end, we were pretty lucky and managed to dodge most of the rain. And we’re not made of sugar — with a good rain jacket, we could usually keep going.”

A quick glance at Yannis’ Grifn RS reveals the many bags attached to it. “I used Camelbak bags under the saddle, on the top tube, on the handlebar, and under the top tube. That setup was perfect for the way we were traveling. We stayed in Airbnbs, so we didn’t need to carry tents, sleeping bags, or camping gear. If we had, we could have used fork-mounted bags as well.”

Ultimately, the Grifn RS brought him exactly where he needed to be. “I really enjoyed riding this bike! It’s incredibly comfortable — even though the roads in Corsica are generally in good shape — and it performs well on climbs and flats alike. I felt completely at home on it from the very first pedal stroke!”

Yannis, a lover of extraordinary adventures, has also set himself the challenge of cycling around the world on a mountain bike, but in his own unique way... Immerse yourself in this journey that will leave a lasting impression. Keep your eyes open until the very end.