Marc's bike was a pure speedster, a sporty Victoire designed for fast road rides in search of the toughest climbs. Equipped at the time with a SRAM Red rim brake groupset, everything was designed with lightness and agility in mind. Marc's light body makes it possible to reduce the size of certain parts. The 36mm bushing is particularly well-suited in this case. As well as saving weight, the bike is even more streamlined.

Unfortunately, an inattentive motorcyclist hit him from behind on during his anniversary ride. The bike was luckier than Marc, however: the entire impact was absorbed by the rear wheel's quick-release. The axle was broken and the wheel ejected on impact, but the frame was not twisted in any way. We checked: the magnificent Campagnolo Bora One rear wheel wasn't bent even by a millimeter, and the frame was still perfectly straight.

Marc entrusted us with his machine so that we could get it back in working order. We also took the opportunity to make a few updates, and apply a new visual identity to this Phoenix, which we present to you below.

The accident had completely broken the derailleur and a shifter, so we took the opportunity to update Marc's groupset. Still with SRAM Red electronic, but on a more recent version with a 12-speed cassette.

The lighter rimbrake version still corresponds to Marc's desire for a simple, agile and uncluttered bike.

The derailleur hanger is often presented as a fuse for the frame: the derailleur being the part most likely to be snagged by a root or low-hanging branch, the hanger is designed to break to protect the frame in the event of an impact.

However, for road accidents such as the one that affected Marc, the quick-release also fulfils this frame-protecting function. We'll never look at this simple little part in the same way again.

While Marc's exoskeleton was previously adorned with geometric figures, we opted for a gradient on the Phoenix. From a deep black at the front, the hue evolves to a bluish gray at the seat tube, to arrive at the natural color of steel, revealing the welds around the crankset and rear axle. Stainless-steel tubes allow us to show off the mastery of our framebuilders, an option we regularly choose.

As for the cockpit, the Phénix remains a pure road bike. The GPS mount is integrated directly into the stem via the handlebar clamp bolts.

The stem itself is custom-made, with the clamping screw positioned asymmetrically on the side. The reason for this? Seen from the drive side (the one preferred by photographers), the screw is invisible and the cockpit line completely uncluttered.

The whole Victoire team was deeply moved by this accident. We're delighted that Marc is back on the asphalt roads of Auvergne, riding his Phoenix.