June 18, 2007 – Organizers of the Coupe de la Paix (CdlP) races around Montreal held a press conference today, the second within a week. Details were revealed for the staged event featuring both men’s and women’s races scheduled from June 21-25. The setting was on the terrace of the Bistroquet Café, situated on des Chateaux Blvd, along the route of Monday’s (June 25) 1.9km circuit through the streets of Blainville’s Fontainbleau district.

The CdlP went from being a series of one-day provincial races in 2006 to becoming a four-day national event, attracting top Canadian riders and some top international stars. Pedal is still waiting for a list of participating teams, but most of the cyclists will be Canadian or Australian with the USA and Ireland also being represented. Among the top Canadians expected to show are Charles Dionne (Colavita/Sutter Home), Francois Parisien (Slipstream p/b Chipotle), Dominique Perras (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast), Dominique Rollin (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) and Svein Tuft (Symmetrics) revealed Sylvain Richard of the FQSC. Richard was standing in for FQSC director general, Louis Barbeau, and explained that because the CdlP series consists of four races with points for each stage, top riders might not stay to finish all of the four stages.

Attending the press conference were Sylvie Clermont (Laval City councilor), James Infantino (Montreal North city councilor), Francois Cantin (Mayor of Blainville), Patrick Mattard (Jardins des Chateaux, a sponsor), Randy Fergusson (master of ceremonies), Lea Salvatore (President of the CdlP), Sylvain Richard (FQSC), Sylvain Tremblay (Montreal North Desjardins credit unions), and Federico Cornelli (Vice President of the CdlP). Eric Hoziel, the CdlP’s honorary president, also took the microphone.

Wednesday (June 20) sees a 38.5km women’s race followed by a 60km men’s race in Laval, beginning at 6 p.m.; on Thursday, June 21 a women’s 40km race is followed by a men’s 50km race in Mascouche beginning at 6 p.m.; Friday, June 24 sees a women’s 45km race beginning at 10 a.m. and followed by a men’s 60km race at 11:30 a.m.; while the final event on Monday, June 25 sees a women’s 39.9km race beginning at 9 a.m. followed by a men’s 62.7km race beginning at 10:30 a.m. The circuits vary from 1 to 1.9km in length; meaning cyclists must do up to 60 laps before crossing the finish line.

The generous support of municipalities such as Blainville, Laval, Mascouche, and Montreal North and private sponsors such as the Mouvement Desjardins (credit unions), Jardins des Chateaux (senior’s home), le Journal de Montreal (daily newspaper), the Mascouche Pharmaprix (pharmacy), Reseau des Sports (TV channel), Orca (furniture store), BFI Environment, Colavita (food products), and l’InterMarché (supermarket) has allowed the CdlP to offer $40,000 worth of prizes this year.

The men will share $5,000 in prizes per stage while the women will share $3,000, with the men typically riding distances 50% greater than the women. Any surpluses generated by the CdlP are donated to charity.

During the speeches it was revealed that Blainville Mayor, Francois Cantin, will serve as the honorary president of the event in 2008. Cantin then suggested to CdlP president, Lea Salvatore, that the CdlP could expand to seven or eight stages in 2008, to which Salvatore replied this was possible but that she was stepping down as president of the event.

Patrick Mattard spoke of how some2.5 million Quebecers ride their bikes every year, averaging some 500km each, representing perhaps the highest level of cycling participation in North America. Federico Cornelli spoke at length comparing the CdlP to the recent Formula 1 car races in Montreal where “Europeans come here to pollute our air. Bicycling is human-powered, bringing friendship and love.”

Salvatore thanked the many volunteers and underlined the importance of municipal cooperation. Salvatore also spoke of the cooperation between the CdlP organization and Tino Rossi’s Mardis Cyclistes criterium races in Lachine, congratulating Rossi on the 30th anniversary of his event.

Stay tuned to Pedal for coverage of the 2007 CdlP.