My name is Gillian Kohler, I'm twenty-two years old, and I'm an amateur road cyclist based in Thonon-les-Bains. I've always been drawn to long climbs — the kind that demand patience, consistency, and a bit of character. Deep down, what drives me is a simple idea: one day, competing to win on the most demanding races in the international amateur calendar.

A few months ago, I made a decision that wasn't easy. I left my job to dedicate myself entirely to cycling. It wasn't a comfortable bet, nor a decision made lightly. I knew very well that nothing was guaranteed, that the road would be long, sometimes uncertain. But there are moments when waiting means giving up. At twenty-two, with the desire I have, I couldn't afford to miss out.

This choice has a price. It required me to give up a certain stability, to accept doubts, and sometimes to face incomprehension. But every day, when I get on the bike, everything becomes clear. The hours of training, the fatigue, the sacrifices — it all makes sense. That's where I feel I belong.

In 2026, I'm discovering a new level. My first international races take me to Serbia, Switzerland, through the Alps roads, all the way to Mont Ventoux. Everything is more demanding, more intense. I'm only at the beginning, and each race is a lesson: about myself, about my limits, and about what I'm capable of pushing beyond.

My eyes are already set on 2027, with a goal that is particularly close to my heart: the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, in Haute-Savoie. Racing there, on the roads where I grew up, giving my best at home — that's what guides each of my efforts today.

I don't know how far this path will take me. But I know why I chose it.

No dream is too big.