November 3, 2006 – Canada’s newest UCI continental team, Equipe de la Vallee de l’aluminium (EVA) is based in Quebec’s Saguenay-Lac St. Jean region, an area noted for its aluminum production, and drawing talent from the region.

Pedal reached team director, Roger Filion, who explains that, despite a short cycling season, the region has a long reputation of producing top cyclists. In addition, Canada’s first UCI race was the Tour du Lac St. Jean in 1992 when 13 countries were represented. Now a local team will help retain local talent. Because of the short season, EVA will head down to Florida and to Virginia for winter training.

Alexandre Lavallée, formerly of Garneau-Optik, has been appointed the directeur sportif. Names like Eric Boily and Raphael Tremblay (both formerly Volkswagen/Trek) and Frédéric Boivin are signed up to ride for EVA. And there are hopes that mountain biker Mathieu Toulouse will participate in a few road races for EVA. Filion points out that Toulouse is no stranger to road racing and came in third in the 2006 Louis Garneau Classic ride from Montreal to Quebec City. “He’s also an excellent climber,” adds Filion.

Apart from the continental team, there will also be two junior teams: one for men and one for women.

Other cyclists for EVA include: Pierre-Olivier Boily, Simon Brassard, Raphaëlle Chrétien, Stéphane Cossette, Janie Fortin, Bruno Langlois, and Charles Thibault.

The team has strong support from local businesses, including local bike manufacturer Cycles Devinci, which hope that EVA will bring good publicity for the region. Filion, whose day job is running Liberté à Vélo, a company that organizes mass participation bicycle excursions, has been busy soliciting funds for the team.

“We are going to be looking at the North American UCI calendar before deciding what our plans are for 2007″ declares Filion. “But we are definitely looking at the Tour de la Beauce and at the (new) Montreal-Boston race.”

A team website is expected to be up and running in coming weeks. “We’re planning to equip the team with aluminum-coloured uniforms,” jokes Filion. “That way, we are assured that our cyclists will shine at races!”