March 02, 2017 (Peribonka, QC) – Elliott Doyle, a rising star of Quebec cycling, won the 4th annual Traversée du Lac-St-Jean à Vélo Fatbike race establishing a new record of 1:30:10 seconds for the 32km frozen lake crossing from Roberval to Peribonka reports le Quotidien. Rebecca Beaumont climbed to the top of the women’s podium with a time of 1:49:41.

“Damn that was sick!” wrote Doyle on his Facebook page. “Thank you to Traversée du lac Saint-Jean à vélo for organizing an A1 (race). Thanks to Bilodeau Canada for the King of the Lake vest. I am definitely in love with my region!” ?? #Desertblanc #BLCoaching Garneau.

Doyle has just signed with the Quebec City-based Art Factory Garneau Québecor continental road team for 2017. The 23-year-old from Alma, Quebec began riding for his hometown club, the Cyclones. He then rode three seasons with Montreal-based road team Silber Pro from 2014-2016, notably winning the Tour of Delta crit (part of the BC Supeweek) in 2016. Doyle recently won another fatbike race, the Fat Eliminator of the Mahikan Race on February 4, also in the Saguenay / Lac-St-Jean region where he lives according to the report.

“Incredible. I just loved my day at La Traversée du Lac St-Jean à vélo,” wrote Beaumont, also on Facebook. “Thanks to the organization, volunteers and partners. I will for sure come back next year. I love my region but I just found a new way to love it even more. (I) did not know it was possible.” Beaumont, 26, is also well known as a road cyclist where she typically races as an independent.

Thanks to their victories on Saturday, both Doyle and Beaumont are now eligible to participate in the 2018 edition of the Al Adaid Desert Challenge in Qatar, the biggest fatbike competition worldwide.

Warm weather conditions across eastern North America caused many winter sport cancellations last weekend including the American Birkenbeiner cross-country ski race in Wisconsin, The same system caused problems at the Traversée du Lac where a cocktail of different weather conditions forced organizers to move the start time earlier to take advantage of colder temperatures earlier in the morning.

The Traversée du Lac has been a well-known for its swimming events since 1955, but has also developed their a fatbike race since 2014, following with a similar trajectory. As the video below shows, poor visibility is a major challenge for fatbike competitors crossing the lake.

Results (brief)

Men
1. Elliott Doyle 1:30:10
2. Jean Westphal
3. Érick Auger (2016 winner)

Women
1. Rébecca Beaumont 1:49:41
2. Anne-Julie Tremblay
3. Caroline Boyaud (2016 winner)