Paris-Roubaix, the new challenge of the miraculous Romain Carlier, 55% burnt under tar

Its story is a miracle. At 30 years old, having come back so far after being burned at 55% by tons of tar at 180 ° C, Romain Carlier got it into his head to complete his first Paris-Roubaix. Normal, the mythical cobblestone cycling race starts from his home, Compiègne (Oise). Since he was a kid, Romain Carlier has followed the departures of one of the biggest events in the imperial city of Picardy. He plans to do his Paris-Roubaix, just before the 119th edition of l’Enfer du Nord, on April 11.

But the real hell, Romain Carlier knows what it is. Three years ago, he was the victim of a terrible accident at work. This date still snaps in his memory: April 25, 2017. “I was working on a construction site when 7 tonnes of tar buried me,” says the 30-something. I often say that I was born twice: the day I was born and that day. “

“I fought to survive”

Burned from the feet to the pectorals, and for a large part in the 3rd degree, Romain Carlier, whose life-threatening prognosis had for a time been engaged, is plunged into a coma for two months. “The hardest part was opening your eyes,” he says modestly. It doesn’t matter if the doctors tell me that I will end my life in a wheelchair. I had done the most difficult. I was ready to fight to keep pushing my limits. In a wheelchair, Romain regains the use of his legs after several months of rehabilitation at the specialized hospital in Coubert (Seine-et-Marne). “I fought to survive, I wanted to fight to regain the maximum of my abilities. “

He wrote a book after relearning how to hold a pen

In 2019, he embarked on writing his story, which he tells in his book: “Don’t whistle the end! »Writes with Clémence Outteryck, a journalist friend. “It relieved me of a burden. It did me good in the head but also in my body. I, who had relearned everything, to eat, to breathe, to speak and to hold a pen to write my book… ”

In addition to telling his story, Romain Carlier advances thanks to the challenges he sets himself. “I need to hurt my body,” he explains. This is the only way I can regain my feelings from before. The more I am told that it is not possible, the more I try to do it. Passionate about sports, Romain started boxing with the Delarue brothers, longtime friends. He did not forget rugby and became the youth coach at Compiègne. And he still hopes to replay a game with the RCC. “I really want to score a try, to prove to the whole world that I have finally overcome all of their trials. “

He dreamed of the Marathon des Sables, he will do Paris-Roubaix

With Yannick Renier, an athlete from Compiègne, Romain Carlier got it into his head to do a marathon. “I wanted to do the Marathon des Sables,” he explains. I spoke to Professor Duhamel of the Percy military hospital, in particular specializing in severe burns, in Clamart (Hauts-de-Seine). And he clearly told me it was not worth it. I then looked for another challenge. It was then that I thought of Paris-Roubaix. “

Romain is preparing for the 2020 edition. The former rear must do so sitting in a snipe, pulled by eight riders. “And then the race was canceled because of the Covid. I thought that gave me time to do it by bike. “

The challenge is immense: to travel more than 200 km with the terrible cobbled sectors. “I will leave on Friday afternoon (Editor’s note: April 9, as for the race, it will start on Sunday 11), specifies Romain Carlier. I will do the test in two and a half days. For cobbled areas, it is expected that I will do this by mountain bike. I will do Paris-Roubaix for Burns and Smiles (A Leetchi kitty is open. All donations will be donated to the association), an association that helps severe burns. We do not do enough prevention of accidents in everyday life. “

Not a day without thinking of the drama

A little less than four years after this tragedy, Romain Carlier is still standing and looking to the future with confidence. “I dream of becoming a sports and social educator to share my experience. I am proud of the fight I fought and won. “Le Compiégnois admits that not a day goes by without thinking about the accident:” It’s the turning point in my life. I get up in the morning, I think about it, in the evening I think about it. I have flashes: the heat wave behind my back, the sound of the helicopter, dreams in a coma… ”

But what a long way for someone who has undergone 36 operations. “I was 55% burned, 48% of which was third degree. This meant that there was nothing left. At first, I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror. See this grafted body, this blood red color… But today, I learned to accept myself. I’m even a little crazy crazy with my new body. This experience also taught me patience… ”