From riding mountains to running up them: Christian Meier’s journey from the Tour de France to the summit of mountain trail running

In 2014, Christian Meier got the call from his road cycling team he’d always dreamed of: “You’re racing the Tour de France.” It was the culmination of the years of riding, sacrifices and dreams that so many young cyclists have, yet so few achieve. He’d made it to the summit of his sport. Ten years later, having hung up his competitive wheels at the end of 2016 to pursue other interests, Christian stands at the top of another sport. Having stumbled upon his love for trail running during the Covid lockdown, the Canadian became good. Very, very good. So good that in 2023 he won the legendary TDS race around the foothills of Mont Blanc: 145km, with over 9,000m of elevation. He won the race in a staggering 19 hours. Rob and Eliot couldn’t quite believe what they were hearing. This week’s chat with Christian is a fascinating exploration of what it takes to peak in two elite endurance sports, and how sporting journeys can be so changeable. Christian even started out as a downhiller! Are you a cyclist and a runner? Let us know by emailing podcast@redbull.com, or hit Rob and Eliot up on their socials and encourage them to get out there for a jog! It’s not currently their favourite pastime, as you’ll hear. We’ll be back in two weeks.