September 16, 2006 – The third edition of the Québec City-Forestville Challenge will take place Saturday, September 23, 2006. Lyne Bessette and Raphael Gagne will be among the group of 15 cyclists who will ride the 315-km route from Quebec City northeast to Forestville in the hilly Charlevoix region. The ride will start at 5 a.m. and is expected to finish about 3 p.m. The theme of this year’s challenge is “ride naturally and win,” a stark reference to the numerous doping scandals plaguing pro cycling these days. The ride is associated with the FQSC (Fédération Québécoise des Sports Cyclistes) the provincial body that oversees cycling events in Quebec.

Bessette, who recently retired from professional cycling, was a member of T-Mobile. She was the 2004 Canadian (female) road racing champion, the 2005 Canadian Cyclocross Champion, and the 2003 Canadian Time Trial National Champion. Gagne, who rides for RockyMountain/BusinessObjects, was voted Canada’s Best Junior Male MTB Cyclist by Pedal Magazine in 2005.

Other cyclists in the peloton include: Mathieu Bélanger and Charles Blanchet of Lac-Beauport, Antoine Caron and Julien Marceau of Stoneham, Jonathan Pageau of Tewkesbury, Dominic Hamel of Saint-Nicolas, Pascal Dumaresq, Louis-Rémy Marier and Jean-François Vennes of Québec City, Michel Bujold of La Tuque and finally David Sirois and Simon Thériault of Forestville.

For more information, contact: Simon Thériault/FQSC
(514) 609-2358, defiquebecforestville@hotmail.com





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