February 12, 2013 (Saint-Lambert, Québec) – Serge Arsenault and his team are pleased to announce the official launch of La Québécoise, a cyclosportive ride that will be held for the first time on September 12 of this year, on the roads of the Greater Québec City Region. As the kickoff event of Grands Prix Cyclistes Week in 2013, the ride, along with La Montréalaise, will be one of the only two cyclosportives held in parallel with the Québec City and Montréal Grands Prix Cyclistes, both of which are UCI WorldTour events.
The registration period begins at 2 p.m. today on the www.cyclosquebecoises.com site. “Today is such a great day for us and for all Québec cyclists!” said Serge Arsenault, President of the Québec City and Montréal Grands Prix Cyclistes, and the driving force behind the cyclosportives. “La Québécoise, a cycling?for?all event, is the key addition that makes the Québec City and Montréal Grands Prix Cyclistes events complete: we now have a week-°©?long festival of cycling for both the general public and professionals! This cyclosportive will be a celebration for everyone who accepts the challenge we’re offering them: to train and prepare to go the distance, and become standard-°©?bearers of health and fitness for all,” he added.
Challenges for all rider levels and superb natural scenery!
This end?of?season cycling rendezvous features three captivating courses of different distances, allowing each rider to meet a challenge suited to him or her, in a festive, supervised and secure environment. Participants at all levels are in for treat, as each circuit begins on Grande Allée and will follow part of the Québec City Grand Prix Cycliste course. The first loop, some 85 km long and aimed at touring cyclists, is along the charming rural roads of Île d’Orléans, where riders will spend a day immersed in the landscapes and ambiance that inspired Québec’s great chansonnier, Félix Leclerc.
Expert cyclists eager to tackle longer distances and steep gradients (close to 2,000 m of elevation difference) will head north toward suburban Stoneham?et?Tewkesbury. Nearing Vermont sur le Lac, the terrain will become progressively hillier as the kilometres slip by, with the route paralleling the Jacques? Cartier River. The 130 km course will then loop back to Québec City via Cap-°©?Rouge and Boulevard Samuel? De Champlain, along the St. Lawrence River, while the 165 km course will extend all the way to Pont-°©? Rouge before riders head back to the finish line via the river shore.
“If the Grand Prix Cycliste pays tribute to the beauty of Old Québec, the Cyclosportive will highlight our beautiful region, stated Mr. Régis Labeaume, mayor of Québec City. I am convinced that the participants will be charmed by their journey and this will inspire other cyclists to do likewise. As of September 12, it will be a cycling festival in Québec City!”
A 100% cycling celebration Riders are invited to experience a cycling celebration marked by fun and friendly interaction all day long. From the start line, under the Grand Prix Cycliste arch, to the atmosphere provided by the bunched riders’ colourful jerseys keyed to the different courses, to feed stations strategically located at the most beautiful -°©?2-°©? sites along the routes, to organized activities and celebrations, to the delicious hot buffet that awaits everyone at the end of their ride, an unforgettable time is guaranteed for all. And at the end of the day, everyone’s invited to take in the spectacular Challenge Sprint Pro on Grande Allée, with the world’s top sprinters competing. All in all, a celebratory program with every minute of every hour dedicated to fun and cycling!
An international event, with cycling trips and tour packages for everyone
As a cycling-for?all activity aimed at riders from Québec, the rest of Canada, the U.S. and Europe, the La Québécoise Cyclosportive is designed to be an international cycling destination, celebrating not only the joys of riding together but also the heritage value and beauty of the Greater Québec City Region, which will be spotlighted via a major promotional campaign that promises to pull out all the stops.
“La Québécoise, of course, is a participatory event for people here at home, but also an invitation to cyclists from all over who love this inclusive, unifying sport so much, to be part of our peloton, to explore our part of the world and its welcoming joie de vivre,” enthused Arsenault.
In collaboration with tourism industry partners, packages of between 4 and 7 days have been custom? designed to ensure that cyclists from here and abroad get the most out of this great event: they include cycling holidays, themed and tourist packages, and accommodation packages. Everything has been thought out to ensure an unforgettable cycling experience combined with wonderful discoveries in La Belle Province. For full details on all tour and accommodation offers, visit cyclosquebecoises.com.
The organizers of La Québécoise invite all cyclists to sign on right away for this major gathering and take advantage of the early-°©?bird entry fee by registering at cyclosquebecoises.com. Space is limited!
The organizers of the La Québécoise Cyclosportive are grateful for the support of the following partners: Tourisme Québec, the City of Québec, Québec City Tourism, Québecor, Air Transat, Kia, Fleury Michon, Via Rail, Serdy Media, Louis Garneau, Sur la route, Opus, Pedal Magazine and Vélo Mag.
The La Québécoise team also invites you to stop by its stand at the Salon du vélo de Québec (Quebec City Bike Show), from March 1-3, and at the Salon Info Velo, March 8-10.
Register today at cycloquebecoises.com – space is limited!
Launch ofLa Montréalaise Cyclosportive
Serge Arsenault and his team at the Québec City and Montréal Grands Prix Cyclistes are pleased to announce, after more than a year in development, the official launch of La Montréalaise cyclosportive, and the opening of registration tomorrow at 2 p.m. on the website cyclosquebecoises.com. On Saturday, September 14, Québec’s largest city will welcome amateur riders to the premiere of this new cycling adventure organized in parallel with the Montréal Grand Prix Cycliste. La Montréalaise and La Québécoise, which will be officially unveiled tomorrow in Québec City, are the only such events in North America to be held in conjunction with UCI WorldTour events.
“Today is such a great day for us and for all Québec cyclists!” said Serge Arsenault, President of the Québec City and Montréal Grands Prix Cyclistes, and the driving force behind the cyclosportives. “La Québécoise, a cycling-°©?for-°©?all event, is the key addition that makes the Québec City and Montréal Grands Prix Cyclistes events complete: we now have a week-°©?long festival of cycling for both the general public and professionals! This cyclosportive will be a celebration for everyone who accepts the challenge we’re offering them: to train and prepare to go the distance, and become standard-°©? bearers of health and fitness for all,” he added.
Challenges for all rider levels, the contrast of Montréal’s urban spirit and the authenticity of rural Montérégie This end-?of-?season cycling rendezvous features three captivating courses of different distances, allowing each rider to meet a challenge suited to his or her personal objectives, in a festive, supervised and secure environment. La Montréalaise will offer multifaceted city and country sights along its 95 km, 145 km and 190 km courses. After a mass start on the Island of Montréal, riders will head for the South Shore, enjoying great views of the city skyline. From there, the Montérégie and its Circuit du paysan will take cyclists through grain and corn fields, apple orchards and vineyards. The more combative riders will continue on a circuit covering 190 km, including a 30 km stretch parallel to the U.S. border offering a succession of ascents and descents that culminates in the 342 m Covey Hill climb, not far from Hemmingford. Riders on all three loops will return to cross the finish line in downtown Montréal, greeted by applause from family, friends and onlookers.
“The City of Montréal is proud to host the all new sporting initiative which is the Cyclosportive La Montréalaise. This new event, which targets amateurs as well as more accomplished athletes, embellishes the sport tourism offerings of our metropolis. Just like the wave of activities which take place during this beautiful season in Montréal, La Montréalaise will encourage us to adopt a safe and active mode of transportation through cycling,” declared Mr. Richard Deschamps, responsible for sports and leisure on the executive committee of the City of Montréal.
A 100% cycling celebration Riders are invited to experience a cycling celebration marked by fun and friendly interaction all day long. From the start line, under the Grand Prix Cycliste arch, where the pro riders will start their race the next day, to the atmosphere provided by the bunched riders’ colourful jerseys keyed to the different courses, to feed stations strategically located to take advantage of the beauty of the natural sites along the way, to organized activities and celebrations, to the delicious hot buffet that awaits everyone at the end of their ride, an unforgettable time is guaranteed for all. All in all, a celebratory program with every minute of every hour dedicated to fun and cycling!
An international event, with cycling trips and tour packages for everyone
As a cycling-for?all activity aimed at riders from Québec, the rest of Canada, the U.S. and Europe, the La Montréalaise Cyclosportive is designed to be an international cycling destination, celebrating not only the joys of riding together but also the heritage value and beauty of Montréal and the Montérégie tourist region, which will be spotlighted via a major promotional campaign that promises to pull out all the stops.
“La Montréalaise, of course, is a participatory event for people here at home, but also an invitation to cyclists from all over who love this inclusive, unifying sport so much, to be part of our peloton, to explore our part of the world and its welcoming joie de vivre,” enthused Arsenault.
In collaboration with tourism industry partners, packages of between 4 and 7 days have been custom?designed to ensure that cyclists from here and abroad get the most out of this great event: they include cycling holidays, themed and tourist packages, and accommodation packages. Everything has been thought out to ensure an unforgettable cycling experience combined with wonderful discoveries in La Belle Province. For full details on all tour and accommodation offers, visit cyclosquebecoises.com.
The organizers of La Montréalaise invite all cyclists to sign on right away for this major gathering and take advantage of the early?bird entry fee by registering at cyclosquebecoises.com. Space is limited!
The organizers of the La Québécoise Cyclosportive are grateful for the support of the following partners: Tourisme Québec, the City of Montréal, Tourisme Montréal, Québecor, Air Transat, Kia, Fleury Michon, Via Rail, the Delta Centre?Ville, Serdy Media, Louis Garneau, Sur la route, Opus, Pedal Magazine and Vélo Mag.
The La Montréalaise team also invites you to stop by its stand at the Salon du vélo de Montréal (Montreal Bike Show) from February 15-17.
Register today at cycloquebecoises.com – space is limited!