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As Kerouac put it, “on the road”. That has been my life for the past few months….although I have upgraded from team van to aeroplane! Yeah baby, moving up in the world!

Amongst a whole cluster of races I have been doing, the team mounted up and headed north…across the border into unchartered territory….Canada. Well, to be a little more specific, Quebec. Little France. Quebexico. The team was due to compete in two races, both of which were very important for our sponsor Louis Garneau. We would be doing a criterium on Friday night in Magog and then the Montreal - Quebec 250km Classic on Sunday.

We were greeted by Pierre and Marie from Louis Garneau at the Montreal airport and quite simply treated like royalty for the entire weekend. The other boys that were at Downers Grove were missing out! We ate like kings and I was even fortunate enough to have
a nice ride, (on some slightly damp roads, woo hoo!), on Pierre’s 650cc Motard bike….you could not wipe the smile form my face the whole weekend! Anyway, yeah, yeah, we raced our bikes too. We all pedaled really hard. The team was David “the King of Quebec” Veilleux, Tim “the tool man” Henry, (he still has two first names), and Austin “Kingers” King and Stevo. (Cody was still off riding that motorcycle!)

In the Magog crit David and I managed to get away in a break of 5, after Tim and Austin had set us up perfectly by covering some early moves. After the 5 of us got away, they both controlled the bunch with an iron fist, allowing David and myself to make good our escape. We all rotated well in the front and then with 4 laps to go the two Jittery Joe’s boys began to one - two them. David attacked first, a lap later I attacked and got a gap, I was caught with about a lap and a half to go and David threw the smack down, escaping on his own to take a great victory. I took the sprint for 2nd making it a One, Two for the team on the night. Tim and Austin both being loyal team mates helped by keeping the bunch at bay.

Magog is the home town of Pierre from Louis Garneau, so it was pleasing to be able to perform well. On Sunday it was a little different, 200km different! The Montreal - Quebec classic is the oldest race in North America and is presented by Louis Garneau. The race finishes outside the Garneau factory in St. Augustin just outside of Quebec city. With a field of nearly 200 riders we would have to be attentive.

Tim covered the first serious move, Austin got caught up in a crash, ending his day and David and I slipped away in “the move” which would stay away to the end……and this was all in the first 30km of the race! Somebody forgot to tell these guys it was 250k to Quebec. So we swapped off for 200k at 45kph….then we hit the small climbs littering the final 30k. Greg Reian from Calyon hit out and I tried to go across, didn’t get there, David then countered and drove a group of 4 away. I played policeman as he built up a good advantage. The 5 in front all worked together and had a nice gap with around 5k to go. At 4k from the finish there was a steep pinch, I attacked to get a gap…I got caught with a k or so to go…and one guy passed me at the finish. 7th. I was keen to see if David had been able to pull of the win, alas, he was 2nd…beaten by a rider who played a smart race…I didn’t notice him “driving” the break…. 2nd and 7th with Tim finishing safely in the main group was not a bad result to pull off in front of the sponsors house. We finished up the day with another great meal and a kip in the Louis Garneau club house (check akingslife.com for photos).

I must point out the talent of David Veilleux. He is a guy who has only ridden a handful of races with the team this year, but each time he has impressed me, the management and the other riders….if only he turned up to races with a clean bike….but I guess that’s what happens when you are 19. Yep 2nd in a 250km race at 19, born in 1987…yes we are all old! Serious HP for a teenager!

A big thank you must go out to Pierre and his family and Marie and her family for hosting us, feeding us and making our time in Canada so enjoyable. I then spent the week with my family, whom I have not see in many years, in upstate New York. I had a great time…I can’t say the same for the race I did in Binghamton…I couldn’t fight my way out of a wet paper bag! Erase from memory.

Next up is 10k and then Michigan, then California, then Vegas, then California, then…at some stage in October Australia

…Hey Jesse, how was that drive back in the Mini?? My flight was great thanks!

Cody

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