He is going to fit right in at EF Education-EasyPost. Starting next season, Alex is going to race in EF pink.

“It is really exciting to join such an international team,” Alex says. “This is something I have always wanted to do and I think this is the right time to do it. It is really important to get out of your comfort zone and get to know new people, new cultures, new everything. That is what I like in life. That's why I wanted to join EF Education-EasyPost. I'm still young, and I'm really, really excited.”

Alex has wanted to be a bike racer ever since he was a child. He first fell in love with cycling when he was four years old. His dad was a racer and would take him up into the mountains to watch the Tour de France whenever the race neared their Albertville home. Alex was soon tearing up climbs like the Cormet de Roselend with his father, emulating the heroes he’d seen attacking through the colorful crowds. His dad was his first coach and had to tell him to slow down.

“I started racing with a local club when I was four and never stopped,” Alex says. “My dad bought me a bike and then it was on. From the start, I did well, because there were not a lot of kids, but my father always told me to take it easy in training. Later, when I was a U17, I struggled, because I wasn't training as hard as the others. But my dad always told me that I had the time and should wait to push. When I was U19, I started to train a bit more and got results. My father guided me to the pros. When I signed my first contract two years ago, it was a dream for me.”

Alex’s dreams didn’t stop there. His greatest ambition is still the same one he has harbored ever since he first saw the Tour: he wants to win a stage. He believes he has the skills to do it and much more besides.

Alex is a punchy climber, who excels at sustained, explosive efforts like the Ardennes classics demand. His favorite race that he has done so far is the Clásica de San Sebastián. He also likes the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal and Québec, because his uncles, who now live in Canada, can come to cheer.

But Alex always returns home to the Alps.

“I live in Aix-les-Bains, near Chambéry,” Alex says. “It's not far from Albertville and I still see my family quite often. The Alps are the perfect place to ride bikes. Growing up here made me want to be a climber. It’s a really beautiful place with a lot of roads to ride. You can enjoy the mountains and ski in the winter.”

As soon as snow falls, Alex heads to his local cross-country trails. Gliding across alpine meadows and through forests is a great way for him to build his fitness and get away from it all.

“It’s a good fit with cycling for the winter preparation,” Alex says. “I really enjoy it. I’ll go alpine skiing a couple times a year when the snow is good too, but it’s risky. Cross-country, I might get out 20 or 25 times during the winter, depending on conditions and when I’m away for training camps.”

To fuel all his time outside, Alex also loves to cook. His favorite meal is a local speciality: croziflette, a cheesy, bacon-y gratin made with crozets, a small, square pasta from the Alps, which he saves for the off-season. Croziflette season is almost done.

Alex is already thinking about the racing year ahead. He wants to fly in his first year in pink.

“I want to get to know more about cycling and about myself and my limits,” he says. “I love exploring on my bike and meeting new people.”

Welcome to the team, Alex Baudin!