forgot to post this. Was a great day for Canadian cycling!!!!!!!!
Louis Garneau, a retired competitive cyclist who founded Louis Garneau Sports in 1983, was watching the Tour de France on Tuesday morning when he saw a familiar face in the lead.
That face belonged to Hugo Houle, from Sainte-Perpétue, Que. He ended up winning Stage 16 of the race more than a minute ahead of France's Valentin Madouas and Israel-Premier Tech teammate Michael Woods of Ottawa.
"It's a historic moment," said Garneau. "I want to have a glass of champagne with Hugo Sunday night."
And Garneau plans to do just that — flying to Paris to celebrate with Houle after what so far has been a stellar performance during the world famous 21-stage race over the Pyrenees and Alps mountain chains.
Garneau first met the 31-year-old Houle when he was about 15 years old. The young racer trained in Garneau's club alongside the retired racer's son. Garneau served as Houle's coach, mentor and sponsor, ensuring Houle flourished as a professional cyclist.
"He's a great, great, great champion," said Garneau.
Then just a few days before Christmas in 2012, Houle's brother was out for a jog when he was killed by a drunk driver at age 19. Garneau said he gave Houle a small cross to wear around his neck a couple of days after the accident.
"I said, 'take the cross for your brother,'" said Garneau, telling Houle he was going to be a good racer someday.
Then last week, he contacted Houle and asked him if he still wears that cross when he races and "he told me, 'yes, Louis, yes.' And he sent me a picture of the cross."
"I had one dream: win the stage for my brother who died when I turned professional. Today that one is for him," Houle said after the race.
"I worked for 10, 12 years and today I got my win for him."
Quebec cyclist celebrated as 'great champion' after prestigious Tour de France stage win
Louis Garneau, a retired competitive cyclist who founded Louis Garneau Sports in 1983, was watching the Tour de France on Tuesday morning when he saw a familiar face in the lead.
That face belonged to Hugo Houle, from Sainte-Perpétue, Que. He ended up winning Stage 16 of the race more than a minute ahead of France's Valentin Madouas and Israel-Premier Tech teammate Michael Woods of Ottawa.
"It's a historic moment," said Garneau. "I want to have a glass of champagne with Hugo Sunday night."
And Garneau plans to do just that — flying to Paris to celebrate with Houle after what so far has been a stellar performance during the world famous 21-stage race over the Pyrenees and Alps mountain chains.
Garneau first met the 31-year-old Houle when he was about 15 years old. The young racer trained in Garneau's club alongside the retired racer's son. Garneau served as Houle's coach, mentor and sponsor, ensuring Houle flourished as a professional cyclist.
"He's a great, great, great champion," said Garneau.
Then just a few days before Christmas in 2012, Houle's brother was out for a jog when he was killed by a drunk driver at age 19. Garneau said he gave Houle a small cross to wear around his neck a couple of days after the accident.
"I said, 'take the cross for your brother,'" said Garneau, telling Houle he was going to be a good racer someday.
Then last week, he contacted Houle and asked him if he still wears that cross when he races and "he told me, 'yes, Louis, yes.' And he sent me a picture of the cross."
"I had one dream: win the stage for my brother who died when I turned professional. Today that one is for him," Houle said after the race.
"I worked for 10, 12 years and today I got my win for him."
He also explained what happened when Pogacar crashed.
"I think he missed the corner and then he went down into the gravel and tried to steer it out and the bike disappeared under him. Then I waited for him."Vingegaard explained.
"I have to thank all my teammates, they're incredible. You see Wout van Aert dropping Tadej Pogacar in the end, Sepp Kuss was incredible, everyone was incredible, Tiejs, Christophe, Nathan, they were all incredible.
"Thanks so much to my teammates, I could never done this without them."
Jonas Vingegaard spoke about why he wanted to win the stage in the yellow jersey.
"It's incredible. This morning I said to my girlfriend and daughter I wanted to win for them and I did. I'm really really happy and proud I won for them. This one is really for my two girls at home," he said soon after the finish.
"I think he missed the corner and then he went down into the gravel and tried to steer it out and the bike disappeared under him. Then I waited for him."
Vingegaard explained."I have to thank all my teammates, they're incredible. You see Wout van Aert dropping Tadej Pogacar in the end, Sepp Kuss was incredible, everyone was incredible, Tiejs, Christophe, Nathan, they were all incredible.
"Thanks so much to my teammates, I could never done this without them."
Jonas Vingegaard spoke about why he wanted to win the stage in the yellow jersey.
"It's incredible. This morning I said to my girlfriend and daughter I wanted to win for them and I did. I'm really really happy and proud I won for them. This one is really for my two girls at home," he said soon after the finish.
Great 2 days in the Pyrenees with the 2 best cyclists doing their thing. This year the best turns out to be Vingegaard over Pogacar but great effort by both ! I loved the great Sportsmanship showed by Vingegaard when Pogacar took a spill on final descent ! Classy gesture !
Always good to see you still hanging around also ! I’ll try to give my insight whenever I can. I no longer live in Vegas but now reside in a very sparsely populated area in Washington. However there’s now plenty of Sportsbooks in Washington so really no problem getting a wager in every now and then. I hope you’re doing well !
Finally a interesting Day and the result may steer us as to who’s going to finish in Yellow in Paris ! My pick is boring and not shocking ! My pick is the defending Championn Jonas Vingegaard. It’s basically a two dog race between 2 time Champion Tadej
Pogacar and Vingegaard. Pagacar tried to sway my thoughts by grabbing a few meaningless bonus points in the flat stages with two second place finishes. Wake up ! The Tour De France is always win in the Mountains. Vingegaard is better in the Mountains and has a better supporting team ! Let’s tune in tomorrow for more high mountains. BTW Todays stage won by Jai Himdley and he claims the yellow ! He’s really good but not my pick !
Pogacar and Vingegaard. Pagacar tried to sway my thoughts by grabbing a few meaningless bonus points in the flat stages with two second place finishes. Wake up ! The Tour De France is always win in the Mountains. Vingegaard is better in the Mountains and has a better supporting team ! Let’s tune in tomorrow for more high mountains. BTW Todays stage won by Jai Himdley and he claims the yellow ! He’s really good but not my pick !
Todays stage in the Pyrenees resulted in an opposite result of yesterdays results. Pogacar outkicked Vingegaard to win today’s stage. However Vingegaard was able to take control of the Yellow Jersey as leader of the Tour. Lots of Mountain stages ahead and now Vingegaard has only a 25 second lead over Pogacar. It’s a 2 Man race for sure.
Tadej Pogacar attacked Jonas. Vingegaard on the steepest part of the climb in the hope that Vingegaard would crack. Well Vingegaard did lose only 8 seconds thereby retaining possession of the overall leaders Yellow Jersey by a mere 17 seconds. This race is going to be decided perhaps by seconds as it’s a two Man race !
Michael Woods finished strongly to overtake Idaho Cyclist Matteo Jorgensen who led until the final 300 meters! A heartbreaking moment for sure.
Michael Woods finished strongly to overtake Idaho Cyclist Matteo Jorgensen who led until the final 300 meters! A heartbreaking moment for sure.
Stage 14 today finish today was atop the famous Grand Colombier.
Everyone knew it would be a climatic finishing duel between Pogacar and Vingegaard. However nobody expected Michal Kwiatkowski to steal the stage which wasn’t in Pogacar’s plan. However he did attack and somehow managed to finish 3 rd. And gain 8 seconds on Vingegaard to narrow the overall lead to a measly 9 seconds ! It’s beginning to look like this race might come down to the Individual time trial. Tomorrow is another mountain stage so I expect another GC battle for the yellow Jersey. It’s usually a big advantage to be the yellow Jersey holder going into a time trial as you go last and know what time you have to beat so even 1 second lead is important.
Everyone knew it would be a climatic finishing duel between Pogacar and Vingegaard. However nobody expected Michal Kwiatkowski to steal the stage which wasn’t in Pogacar’s plan. However he did attack and somehow managed to finish 3 rd. And gain 8 seconds on Vingegaard to narrow the overall lead to a measly 9 seconds ! It’s beginning to look like this race might come down to the Individual time trial. Tomorrow is another mountain stage so I expect another GC battle for the yellow Jersey. It’s usually a big advantage to be the yellow Jersey holder going into a time trial as you go last and know what time you have to beat so even 1 second lead is important.
Tomorrow’s stage is another tough one in the Alps. However my gut tells me that it won’t be the stage that will decide this year’s Tour. Sunday is an entirely different story with this years tour last Mountain top summit finish. I think Pogacar will save his legs and play his cards on Sunday. So far He seems to have the better finishing kick on these mountain top finishes. Vingegaard with a mere 9 second lead might be relinquishing his yellow Jersey on Sunday unless he’s simply been holding something back like he did last year. We shall see as it’s getting close to showdown time.
Well my gut was close to correct as Pogacar and Vingegaard played a game of cat and mouse with Vingegaard gaining exactly 1 second at the end of the stage ! The stage was halted for 25 minutes due to a huge crash early on which resulted in 4 or 5 riders to abandon the Tour due to injuries. Carlos Rodriquez won the stage with Pogacar finishing second And Vingegaard third. Vingegaard now leads by 10 seconds and I predict tomorrow’s Mountain top summit finish Will perhaps decide who will wear yellow going into Paris. No cat and mouse at the top of the summit finish tomorrow!
