Getting to Know - Remi Gauvin

REMI GAUVIN

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"I've watched Remi Gauvin turn from a chubby kid with diamond earrings into a man with a ridiculous mustache. But his dreams didn't stop there!

It doesn't matter which bike that he is riding... he's annoyingly good at it. Along with the likes of Steve Smith, Mark Wallace and Jordie Lunn, Remi is another top rider to come from Vancouver Island. As one of the most self-motivated men around me, he's gone from winning downhill championships as a Junior to being one of the top-ranked Canadian DH Pros. Remi has now busted into Enduro as a top 20 EWS rider in his rookie season.

Knowing the way Remi attacks any task, myself and the rest of Canada can look forward to cheering him on, through the next chapter of EWS podiums and success." - Miranda Miller




Who is Remi Gauvin?

Remi is an island boy who drinks a bit too much coffee and loves to ride his bike.


Where are you from and where do you live?

I grew up on Vancouver Island and currently live in North Vancouver BC.


Who do you ride for?

I ride for the Rocky Mountain Urge bp Rally Team. The team is sponsored by Shimano, Fox, Maxxis, Stans No Tubes, FTI Consulting, Race Face, Royal Racing, Evoc, Smith Optics, Val D’Allos, OneUp Components, ClifBar, 7idp and WTB Saddles. I also ride for DissentLabs.




Where are you happiest?

I am happiest at home riding my bike in the mud with my friends or when I am traveling around Europe racing against the world's best or when I am at the dinner table about to eat a big meal after a long day. I'm a pretty happy person.


What’s been your favourite race/contest venue?

The first round of the EWS in Chile this year was pretty awesome. It was raining at home in North Vancouver when we left but sunny and warm when we got down there. The pits were right on the ocean and the trails were a blast. The combination of mountains and ocean is my all time favourite. Just like home.




Where are your favourite trails?

I usually love any ride in Squamish. There is so much fun stuff to ride there. But I also seem to claim that I have found a new favourite trail with every new place that I ride.





What are your strengths?

I like fast tracks with lots of jumps. I think that I am good at coming up with a plan of attack during practice and sticking to it. I can make a mean cup of coffee.


What are your weaknesses?

Going fast on janky trails. Folding laundry.


What’s been your worst crash over the years?

Probably sliding out on the wooden take off of one of the gaps at Prevost last winter. It was my first day on a Prototype Rocky Mountain Maiden. It had been raining and when I hit the wood I lost my front wheel, flew through the air sideways and landed on my hip and side. The gap is over a ravine and probably about 30ft. I bent the fork, bar, stem and dislocated my thumb.


What’s been your luckiest escape?

In Port Angeles, WA two years ago I thought I broke my back when I had a big crash into a tree. Thankfully, I didn't...




Which bike from over the years, conjures up the best memories?

My Haro Escape 8.2. There was a stair set near my house which I would huck to flat every day. I bent a few sets of cranks on that bike.


What bikes are you riding right now?

Rocky Mountain Altitude Rally Edition and Rocky Mountain Maiden.




Who’s your favourite rider?

Steve Smith will always be #1 in my heart.


Who or what inspires you?

Racing the EWS this year has been quite inspiring for me. It's been a good change. Up until last year, I had been racing DH. It just seemed that I had plateaued at the World Cup and was never able to make that next leap on the results sheet, which was quite frustrating. The guys at Rocky Mountain went out on quite the limb to offer me a spot on the team this year. I was really surprised. But every round has gone better than the last and I feel more motivated than ever to go against the clock.




What do you enjoy doing away from bikes?

Hanging out with my girlfriend, drinking coffee, and eating sushi.


What are you listening to right now?

Jamie XX, A$AP Ferg, and Rihanna.


What’s your favourite movie/ TV show?

I powered through Brooklyn 99 pretty quick.


What’s your favourite non-bike website?

Weather.gc.ca and HypeM.


What’s your favourite motto or saying?

Live Laugh Love. I have it tattooed on my back.


What grinds your gears?

Shitty auxiliary and iPhone cords. They are the bane of my existence.



If you were in charge of the sport, what changes would you make?

More jumps in enduro and more car sponsorships. European bike parks wouldn't allow the lycra/body armour combo, either.


When you hang up your racing/ riding shoes, how do you want to be remembered?

I don't think that being remembered is high on my priority list right now but if I am, I hope that I am remembered as an approachable guy who worked hard to achieve his goals.




What does the future hold for Remi Gauvin?

More races, more great results, more travel, more coffee, more climbing, more descending, and more fun!




Follow Remi here on Pinkbike at remrem and here on Instagram.

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MENTIONS: @RockyMountainBicycles / @urgebikeproducts / @Royal-Racing / @shimano / @foxracingshox / @Maxxis / @raceface / @evocsports / @SmithOptics / @OneUpComponents / @CLIF / @sevenidp / @wilderness-trail-bikes / @dissentlabs

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Interviews Getting To Know Remi Gauvin