February 27, 2013 (Quebec City, QC) – Marie-Hélène Prémont (Rocky Mountain Bicycles) is pregnant with her first child and thus taking a one-year sabbatical according to l’Autre Voix. The 35-year-old mountain biker has been on the UCI World Cup mountain biking circuit for 15 years. Among her many accolades, she won silver at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and gold at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

“This is the best thing that could have happened to me,” said Prémont who is expecting in July. But she added that “I like this sport so much that it is difficult for me to stop.” Apart from her mountain biking career, Prémont is qualified to work as a pharmacist.

Prémont is looking toward a return to mountain biking after her pregnancy and holds up the example of Norwegian cyclist Gunn-Rita Dahle-Flesjaa to demonstrate that it can be done. Prémont, who did not qualify for the 2012 London Olympics, is still hopeful that she can compete at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

Article in French HERE.