April 16, 2013 (Contrecoeur, QC) – The Quebec road season kicks off northeast of Montreal on Sunday, April 21st with the Grand Prix de la Mairie de Contrecoeur. On the menu is a 107.2km senior men’s race; a 53.6km women’s race (seniors, juniors, masters run concurrently); men’s masters A (93.8km), B (80.4km), C, & D (67km); senior 3 & junior men’s (80.4km) races. This event, organized by the Dynamiks de Contrecoeur bike club, is the first stage of the Tour de la Montérégie (TdlM) series for 2013.

The 2012 edition of the GP de la Mairie de Contrecoeur men’s series was won by Rémi Pelletier-Roy (Garneau) while Catherine Couture (now with GSD Gestion/Kallisto) won the women’s series. Also part of the GSD Gestion team is Alizée Brien who declares that she is “very happy that the TdlM is so popular and expanding this year!”  Brien finished sixth at the Tour of the Battenkill in Cambridge, NY last weekend.

Marie-Ève Poisson (I am Gold – Specialized) will also be on the starting line hoping to perform her best for this team. Élisabeth Albert (Rocky Mountain/ Forget Aubain) – also distinguished as a speed skater – is another name to watch. The TdlM is comprised of 11 stages and, during the week of the Grand Final from July 17 to 21, things will heat up with six stages being contested over five days.

The Grand Prix de la Mairie de Contrecoeur will be followed on April 28 by stage 2 of the TdlM, the GP IGA de Sainte Martine (southwest of Montreal).

Registration info (in French) for GP de la Mairie de Contrecoeur (April 21) HERE.

Registration info (in French) for the GP IGA de Ste Martine (April 28) HERE.

Information about TdlM HERE.