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On the endless roads of France and beyond, Gérard Zanko has been riding for four decades with a consistency and love of freedom that command admiration. More than an endurance cyclist, he is a philosopher of the road, finding in each pedal stroke a lesson in authenticity and resilience. During a ride on small country roads, we gathered his words as one turns the pages of a book…
By Jean-François Tatard – Photos: All rights reserved
The sun was barely breaking through, but Gérard was already ready, a smile on his face, calm and focused, his face reflecting a rare serenity. “I am above all a lover of freedom,” he confided to me from the first turns of the wheel, his gaze fixed on the horizon. His passion for cycling was born almost by chance, with competitions starting late in the 80s. “A stroke of luck,” he says modestly, which shaped his entire life.
The long road, a meditation in motion
For Gérard, cycling goes beyond the realm of sport. It is a meditation in motion, a form of deep communion with nature, a dive into the silence of the soul that allows him to touch a rare form of truth and freedom. In the saddle, he frees himself from the frenzy of daily life and lets the landscapes envelop him; he listens to the whisper of the wind, the symphony of the wheels on the asphalt, and follows the tranquil rhythm of the road stretching out before him like an invitation to the present moment. “What drives me forward, even in pouring rain or the icy breath of the wind, is the present moment,” he explains with that gentle, almost mystical serenity. For him, every kilometer, every breath is an opportunity to get lost to better find himself. Every pedal stroke thus becomes a tribute to the present moment, whether it is made of pure joy or inner struggle.
In his eyes, endurance is not an exercise in brute force, but a discipline of body and mind, a patient and demanding school where one learns humility in the face of one’s own limits. Gérard finds in this perseverance a discreet nobility, a path that helps him face life with the same balance he applies on the road.
In his most intense challenges, such as his monumental crossing of the United States, from Los Angeles to New York, Gérard experienced endurance in all its purity and learned to push the boundaries of his mind and body. “The long hours in the Mojave Desert taught me perseverance under the merciless sun. Every pedal stroke in that crushing heat was a silent victory, an affirmation of self,” he recalls, his eyes lighting up with that flame that inhabits unforgettable memories. Each stage, each climb in that burning desert became for him a metaphor for life itself, an invitation to face difficulties without losing his calm, to persist even when the horizon seems infinite.
For Gérard, these journeys are as many lessons in constancy and courage, trials that forge willpower and the ability to accept moments when the path becomes rougher. Each of his adventures is an inner journey that transcends performance, a learning of true courage: that which consists of moving forward, not to win, but to exist fully, pedal stroke after pedal stroke, in a rare and serene harmony with the universe that surrounds him.
A man of paradoxes: simplicity in excellence
Beneath this elegant and striking appearance, Gérard cultivates a philosophy that marries minimalism and authenticity. In a world where the superfluous constantly tries to impose itself, he embodies a rare form of elegance that never goes unnoticed. “Elegance is simplicity sublimated by the truth of the moment,” he declares eloquently, a knowing smile illuminating his face. On the road as in life, he seeks accuracy, essential small gestures and simple details that add depth and meaning to every moment. His style is both audacious and refined, faithful to a vision where cycling becomes an art of living, a sincere expression of self that requires neither excess nor frills.
This quest for authenticity, stripped of all artifice, allows him to pursue his challenges with a grace and presence that command admiration, defying the weight of years with quiet determination. “At 62, I’m celebrating 40 years of passion for cycling,” he slips, his eyes sparkling with pride. No intensive training or draconian diets; his secret lies in a deep listening to his body, a respectful attention to its needs. For Gérard, this listening is essential: a balance between effort and rest, a deep respect for the natural rhythm of existence.
Cycling, for him, is not just a sport, but a way of life where rigor and simplicity coexist harmoniously. It is a practice where the pleasure of effort takes precedence over the pursuit of performance, where serenity triumphs over the frantic race against time. Gérard thus embodies a rare wisdom, one that reminds us that the true challenge is not to push one’s limits at all costs, but to find peace in the rhythm of each moment, of each journey. For him, that is where true victory lies: moving forward, with balance and passion, in unwavering fidelity to oneself and to the world around him.
“Cycling is more than a sport”
For Gégé, as his friends affectionately call him, cycling transcends simple sports practice: it is a rich and profound metaphor for human existence. Every dizzying climb, every unexpected detour, every moment of doubt transforms into a reflection on the journey of life itself. “Cycling taught me perseverance, humility, and the value of silent work,” he confides with quiet wisdom. “What I encounter on the road often reflects the trials of daily life.” Through this inner quest, he inspires cyclists from all walks of life to go beyond the pursuit of performance, showing them how to discover a deeper balance between pleasure and self-transcendence.
Gérard is not seeking exploits for glory or recognition. His true desire is to share the beauty of an active, sustainable, and sincere lifestyle, where each pedal stroke becomes a celebration of life. “What I would like everyone to remember from my approach is authentic pleasure, that which emerges beyond kilometers and prowess,” he says, his gaze vibrant with unwavering passion. For him, cycling is an inexhaustible source of happiness, a call to adventure that invites everyone to break with routine, to savor simple moments, and to embrace existence with sincerity and gratitude.
Through his words, Gérard reminds us that beauty lies in the simplicity of things: every moment spent in the saddle, every landscape admired, is an invitation to take the time to live fully. By cycling, he shows us the way to a life rich in meaning, where every pedal stroke brings us closer not only to our goals, but also to ourselves.
Over the shared kilometers, I grasped what distinguishes Gérard from other cyclists: a true philosophy of life, one that makes every journey an inner quest, an immersion in the essential. For him, every adventure is an ode to freedom and the present. Gérard Zanko, with his benevolent smile and unwavering endurance, embodies a rare wisdom, one that reminds us that the most beautiful journeys are not measured in kilometers traveled, but in moments fully lived. Beyond performance, he invites us to rediscover the richness of the road, to savor every moment, like a treasure offered to those who know how to slow down and appreciate.
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