By caterpillar  | Posted: Jun 18, 2025

Nestled in the middle of France lies the tiny town of Brioude. The town is home to Baptiste Pierron, a professional mountain bike athlete. Baptiste won the European Championships in 2019 and was runner-up in 2023. Like Camille, he does a lot of his training close to home. In Brioude, his privately owned bike park is where he sharpens his skills. The park regularly sees other mountain bikers push their bikes to the limits. It is also home to another unlikely machine: Baptiste’s very old 1-tonne excavator.

Although this machine isn't the most agile, its toughness is undeniable. It’s often employed for shaping out demanding and death-defying lines for riders to practice during wintertime in preparation for the season ahead. But after seeing the results that Michael Herren and his Cat machines achieved at Camille’s track, Baptiste has no hesitation in calling her, feeling inspired with a new vision of an even greater bike park.

Soon after, a Cat 303.5 CR and a Cat 306 Mini Excavator, along with three Caterpillar employees, arrive in Brioude, fully equipped with a selection of Cat attachments and couplers and ready for work. With help from a range of Cat buckets and a Cat TRS6 Tiltrotator on the Cat 306, the team set about creating approximately 300m of brand new mountain bike tracks in the steep woods. While the 2023 project was focused on improving some existing areas on Camille’s home track, Baptiste’s project is completely different. The plans are bold: create a brand new line from scratch in just three days, using Cat machines, hands, rakes, shovels, and pickaxes!

As the owner of a 1-tonne excavator and as a pro-racer, Baptiste doesn’t shy away from the task. Eager to operate Cat machines on his own turf, he soon discovers why Cat Mini Excavators are perfect for building mountain bike (MB) tracks and trails. Baptiste’s dexterity on the Cat 303.5 is impressive, operating the machine for several hours each day. Baptiste carves his vision for the new track into the dirt and sculpts a new design that respects the surrounding landscape and nature, winding the line around the trees.

When asked what he thinks of the project at the end of the week, Baptiste responds, “The first thing that comes to mind... it was just an amazing human experience with the Cat team.” As for the Cat machines, Baptiste describes the “comfort, agility, and... power; yes, that is the main thing that keeps coming back.”

Working alongside Baptiste is 19-year-old operator Mathis, nephew and employee of Cat Dealer Bergerat Monnoyeur France’s customer. Despite being faced with extremely difficult terrain, Mathis deftly handles the Cat machines with ease. For the Cat team, seeing the 19-year-old sit at the helm of the Cat 306 and work the ground was a sight to behold. Operating the Cat 306 with the Cat TRS6 Titlrotator seemed effortless. He tells us afterwards it was the first time he’d ever used a TRS and the two machines together, adding, “For me, the TRS is the future!” His favourite thing about the Cat excavator range? “Cab comfort, no doubt,” he replies. “When I get in there and put my music on with the AC, I feel just like at home, and I can work for hours and hours without even feeling it.”

Shortly after gaining experience working with the Cat 306 and the Cat TRS6 on this project, Mathis is quick to convince his uncle and employer that these machines are indeed the future. They waste no time, striking a deal with their Bergerat Monnoyeur salesman to purchase the very same Cat 306 and Cat TRS6 combination they had used on the project.

Whether you plan to create a new mountain bike track or update your existing one, Cat excavators can help. Our machines are built to handle the harshest environments and serve as your reliable and adaptable excavator, ready for any job. No matter the challenge—or the vision—Cat has your back. Contact your nearest Cat dealer today

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