46 years old in normal life is young, but not on a bicycle, meets Simeon Sebastien Green feeding his passion

Typically, a cyclist in their 40s would be associated with one of those lycra-clad weekend warriors who fuel their passion for the sport. But not Simeon Sébastien Green.

At 46 years old, Green is the oldest cyclist among the 164 cyclists participating in the event. Pune Grand Tourwith more than 100 bicycle tours through various countries to his credit. And it’s not just about participating in those tours; He has regularly finished in the top 10.

Green credits his vast experience for the advantage he has in the sport, especially considering most of his competitors are in their early 20s.

When he remembered that 46 was still very young, he replied: “Yes, in normal life, but not on a bicycle.”

Green, originally from France, is part of the Euro Cycling Trips CCN team which is registered in Guam, a small American island. This is his first time in India, participating in the Bajaj. Pune Grand Tour 2026 – a historic Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) class 2.2 multi-day continental road race.

Green said his team races a lot in Europe and also participates in races in Africa, North America and Australia.

Green is all praise for the Pune tour. “It is very well managed and incredible. The atmosphere in the villages is amazing; this excitement is very contagious. In fact, this type of infrastructure, particularly the fantastic roads, is at a higher level for races of this category,” he said.

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Benito Becker The only other runner in his 40s among the participants is the German Joachim Benedikt Becker. (Express Photo)

Referring to a group of cyclists who suffered a fall during Wednesday’s Tour stage, he admitted it was a little disconcerting. “But at my age I can read the signs before an accident and I can try to stay out of danger. I know a little about myself and, above all, I am an advisor to the young people on the team,” he said.

Green spends most of his time competing, training and working for Euro Cycling Trips, which involves organizing cycling holidays and mountain tours.

Safety measures are important while cycling and while the helmet is the most protective equipment, the star cyclist says the jersey should be extremely thin as it offers minimal resistance against the wind. “It’s like wearing nothing most of the time. But when you fall, the clothing offers no protection,” he said.

The only other runner in his 40s among the participants is the German Joachim Benedikt Becker. Becker, just 40, said this is his first time in India and also that the Tour will be his last race as he plans to retire this Friday. Becker is part of the team at Hucare Factory, Great Britain.

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When asked about competing with young people, Becker joked: “At 40, they could be like my kids. I love competing, but a sport like cycling takes time and energy. At some point you feel like you’re back to normal life.”

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a senior editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, he is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism on health, science, environment and research developments. She also has a keen interest in covering women’s issues. Professional Background Education: Gold Medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and Masters in Literature. Author: She is the author of the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist of the WHO. Key Focus: Combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human interest narratives. Awards and Recognitions Anuradha has won several awards including Press Council of India National Award for Excellence in Journalism in Gender Based Reporting Category in 2019 and Laadli Media Award (Gender Sensitivity -2024). She received the Lokmat Journalism Award (Gender Category-2022) and was also shortlisted for the RedInk Awards for Excellence in Journalism-2021. Her first book, At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan, the inaugural Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization, was also nominated in the People’s Choice category of the JK Paper AUTHER Awards. She has also held competitive fellowships including Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious India 2025 cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Featured Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer and Specialty Healthcare “Tata Memorial finds a way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells” (November 26, 2025): Report on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, Diet and Purpose; How a 97-Year-Old Professor Challenges Aging” (November 15, 2025) Report on Professor Gururaj Mutalik, the first head of department at Pune’s BJ Government Medical College, who at 97 attributes his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose 2. Environmental health (“Breathless” series. Pune”) Prolonged exposure to even “moderate” air causes chronic heart, lung and kidney problems” (November 26, 2025) – Part of a research series highlighting that even “safe” pollution levels are harmful to vital organs. “For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was a 6-8% increase in medicine sales” (November 23, 2025) – Using commercial data to demonstrate the direct link between air quality and respiratory diseases in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News “They Didn’t Let Cancer, Diabetes, and Heart Disease Stop Them From Traveling” (December 22, 2025) – A collaborative article featuring survivors sharing practical tips for traveling with chronic illnesses. At age 17, his blood pressure shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study points out why hypertension in children and adolescents doubled between 2000 and 2020” (November 12, 2025) – a report that focuses on a 17-year-old’s hypertensive crisis and reflects the growing global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Infrastructure and Recognition To promote science and communication and gender diversity: IUCAA professor featured in Nature” (November 25, 2025): Covers global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe” (December 3, 2025): A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe had only 1.5 billion years. , one of the first to be seen so far Signature Beat: Health, Science and Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her reporting on COVID-19, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed information on the trials of Covishield and Covaxin. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, and often profiles women researchers who are breaking the “leaky pipeline” in STEM fields. health experts from the institutions.
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