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By Sylvain PIGEAU. Photos: 3bikes, Colin Arros and DR.
Pronounce Colin the French way. And don’t say he’s from Normandy, especially not on his home turf in the Monts d’Arrée, Finistère. You might end up finishing your ride alone on the moor (and it’s hostile!)
Having lived in Brittany since childhood, Colin Arros has his Breton country deeply ingrained in him, as much as triathlon or his atypical floral shorts. In the Comana area, his colorful outfits are not out this March, but the Landivisiau Triathlon resident is still outside, in the cold rain.
His life, in fact, is divided between his passion for triathlon, the inherent travel, and his job as a freelance designer. “I have my diplomas to be a sports teacher. But for now, I’ve chosen to do a job I’m more passionate about, from home. I’ll consider teaching later.”
Colin the artist
And from graphic design passion to triathlon, it’s just one step. It’s on his own bike (and sometimes his friends’ bikes) that Colin Arros expresses his broadest desires. For a few seasons, his Cervélo P3C has changed its livery according to the inspirations of the Finistère triathlete. Aluminum color, or more recently rust, his machine changes its shade once again for this 2019 season. “But this is the last time on this bike, he warns. It’s starting to accumulate some km.”

These “little whims” are occasional for Colin and his father, who work on the paint job, but still require a few hours of work. “On average it takes us 40 hours. And you have to add between 5 and 40 hours for the design idea. It’s our passion, we are free and without demands. Some years, we don’t do any, and sometimes three or four.”
Colin the communicator
Passionate and committed, Colin Arros also brilliantly uses communication channels, mainly Facebook. It’s hard to miss the floral shorts, the repainted bike, and his good humor. “I never get stressed, and at races, I always smile; I try not to talk about the race or performance goals. In fact, that allows me to relieve pressure and perform better.”
“I try not to talk about the race or performance goals. In fact, that allows me to relieve pressure and perform better.”
A triathlete since the age of 14, Colin started swimming at 6 and then developed a taste for athletics. A “logical” path for a triathlete’s son. He also built a respectable amateur record, particularly in the mountainous events he loves. “I’m Breton, but I love the mountains. As soon as I can, I go to the Alps. The Alpe d’Huez triathlon remains my favorite; I go every year.”
And we can believe him, after having achieved four top 10 finishes in the Isère event. In 2016, he also used his climbing skills to win a French jersey (in his age group) at the French championships in Baudreix (17th overall) on a course designed for good cyclists, which saw Jean-Eudes Demaret take the victory.
Adventurous and versatile, Colin Arros also prefers to focus on French events, which are more convivial and accessible. At the Brittany duathlon championships on Sunday, March 24, the Landerneau Triathlon resident took 9th place, with the best bike split. “It was only an hour of effort, but it hurt. I came out of T1 in 40th place but was the first to rack my bike. After that, there are much better runners than me, and I couldn’t keep up.”
READ: Le Goff and Sicot on top of Brittany
After a studious winter spiced up with cross country and trail running, Arros begins his season as he usually does, as a road triathlete. “Duathlon is the hardest, after that, triathlons are easier!” admits the one who will set foot in the water for the first time in early May, in Côtes d’Armor. “All of May there are M and S races in Brittany. These are warm-up races for me, I do them full throttle, it’s my pleasure triathlon campaign.“
Polarized training
Because after that, things get tougher. Before climbing the Dutch mountain again, Arros has an appointment in Touraine, for his first XXL race, the Toursn’man. “I like these races because the entry fees are cheaper than for Ironman and it’s cooler. In Tours, it will be my first, I don’t know what I’m worth, but my goal is to run the entire marathon normally.”
“To succeed in Long Distance, I’m not necessarily convinced that you need thousands of kilometers.”
On his way to Corsica, Tuesday, March 26, the Commanéen will rack up kilometers under the sun for a week. No choice given his upcoming deadlines. Without a coach, Arros precisely targets his training.

“I polarize what I do enormously; it’s in phases. For example, I’m going to do a big endurance cycle. Then, it’s possible I’ll only do very short sessions for three weeks. Time trials, hills, KOMs, at home in the Monts d’Arrée. Now that I have the Tours’n man date in mind, I know where I’m going, I can plan instinctively. But to succeed in Long Distance, I’m not necessarily convinced that you need thousands of kilometers.”

Instinctive, the Breton is. But sometimes secretive, like when he admits not publishing everything on his Strava account. “Many don’t believe me when I say I train very little. So rather than being criticized for the sessions I post, I no longer post some of them.”
A shame, some will say; clever, others will say. But to chat with this unique triathlete, it’s better to go to the heart of Finistère and ride in the Monts d’Arrée with him. And that’s much better than social media.
| Colin’s bikes The P3: “My father sands and paints. He loves it. I create the graphic form. Inspiration often comes from my friends, who have good ideas. I do it for myself but also for others. For example, for duathlete Robin Moussel, we created a ‘butchery’ paint job, referring to his somewhat tough bike rides with his friends.” ![]() Based on a Cervélo P3C, Colin Arros fulfills all his desires. But this last “floral” paint job is the final one, according to the Breton triathlete, who plans to keep the bike but no longer touch the decoration. The bike is equipped with Sram and Shimano, with a Corima disc wheel and a Xentis 3-spoke wheel. The “beater” bike: It’s a Salmon “very resistant” according to Colin. A steel frame equipped with old components, mudguards (for the gentle Breton rain!), and Speedplay pedals. “It’s useful for me in winter for strength training; it allows me to build power.“ |
![]() Colin Arros’s bio 25 years old, born in 1994 in Mont-Saint-Aignan, Normandy. 1.83 m, 72 kg in winter and 68 kg in summer. Started triathlon at 14. Palmarès: 31 triathlon victories, 55 podiums, 4 top 10 finishes at the Alpe d’Huez L triathlon, 2 L victories (Triskell Race in 2015 and Mont Blanc in 2016). French LD Champion (age group 20-25) in Beaudreix in 2016. |







