Age 46 in normal life is young, but not on the bicycle, meet Simeon Sebastien Green fuelling his passion

You’d usually associate a cyclist in his mid-40s as one of those weekend warriors in lycra fuelling their passion for the sport. But not Simeon Sebastien Green.

At 46, Green is the oldest rider among the 164 cyclists participating in the Pune Grand Tour, with more than 100 cycling tours across multiple countries under his belt. And it’s not merely participation in those tours; he has regularly finished among the top 10.

Green credits his vast experience for the edge he has in the sport, especially given that most of his competitors are in their early 20s.

When reminded that 46 was still a young age, he retorted, “Yes, in normal life, but not on a bike.”

Green, who hails from France, is part of the Euro Cycling Trips CCN team that is registered with Guam, a small American island. This is his first time in India, participating in the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 — a landmark Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) 2.2 class continental multi-day road race.

Green said his team rides a lot in Europe and also takes part in races in Africa, North America and Australia.

Green is all praise for the Pune tour. “It is extremely well run and incredible. The vibe in the villages is amazing — this excitement is very infectious. In fact, this kind of infrastructure, particularly the fantastic roads, is at a higher level for races in this category,” he said.

Referring to a pack of riders taking a tumble during Wednesday’s stage of the tour, he admitted it was a trifle unnerving. “But then, at my age, I can read the signs before a crash and can try to stay out of harm’s way. I know a bit about myself and am more of an advisor for the younger guys in the team,” he said.

Green spends most of his time racing, training and working for the Euro Cycling Trips, which involves organising cycling holidays and rides in the mountains.

Safety measures are important during cycling and while a helmet is the most protective gear, the ace cyclist says the jersey has to be extremely thin as it offers minimal resistance against the wind. “It is like wearing nothing most of the time. But when you fall, the attire offers no protection,” he said.

The only other rider in his 40s among the participants is Joachim Benedikt Becker from Germany. Becker, just 40, said this is his first time in India and also that the Tour will be his final race as he plans to retire this Friday. Becker is part of the Hucare Factory team, Great Britain.

Asked about the competition with the youngsters, Becker quipped, “At 40, they could be like my children. I love competing, but a sport like cycling demands time and energy. At some point, one feels like drifting back to a normal life.”

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning... Read More