Andrew L’Esperance talks creating opportunities and East Coast racing

For many athletes at the World Cup level, training is a full-time job. Andrew L’Esperance organizes his own racing team on top of that.

Along with Evan McNeely, L’Esperance is one of the founders of Forward Racing-Norco. He also races for the team.

Forward Racing started going into the 2017 season. Norco had decided to focus its cross country sponsorship on a smaller team that would target the World Cup circuit with Norco Factory Team.

For L’Esperance and McNeely, that meant looking for new sponsors to add to the continuing support from Norco. Instead of looking for spots on existing teams, the two decided to band together and form Forward Racing. “It’s been great,” L’Esperance says of forming the team. “I was lucky last year that Evan and I did it together. We helped each other out to make that happen.”

Not many athletes would look forward to the added stress of running a team on top of a busy training and racing schedule, but L’Esperance sees it as an opportunity. “It paves the way to have some fun with cool projects that you get to be involved with.” The team has their own special Java Blend Coffee roast, Adventure Blend, designs their own kit and sells team socks through McNeely’s sock company Sneaky Socks.

While Forward Racing started as a result Norco shifting it’s sponsorship focus, the Canadian brand is still very involved in the smaller domestic team. “Ongoing support from Norco gave us the opportunity to create our own team,” L’Esperance says, “It wouldn’t have been possible without Norco’s support.”

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Beyond sharing a sponsor, the two teams maintain a close relationship. Where possible, Forward Racing “collaborates with the factory team, to share resources and share accommodations” says L’Esperance. Besides, he adds, “We’re all pretty good friends, so it makes it more fun for everyone.”

After Forward Racing’s first season, McNeely retired from racing. “Evan is still involved,” L’Esperance says. “He’s is a great guy to chat with about the direction of the team, and provides us warehouse space for the team to use.” It’s important support, for a small team. “He’s passionate about racing, and believes in what we’re doing.”

Both of the team’s founding members have personal experience of how hard it can be to break into the elite cross country ranks.  That’s why, even in the team’s first year, the Forward Racing Development Fund was created to support aspiring Canadian racers. “We’ve both received so much support over our careers, we thought it was a great chance to give back a bit,” says L’Esperance.

In the first season, the team also brought on Sean Fincham, and offered him bikes and support at the races. Sean went on to win U23 National Championships in his first season for the team. “Sean is a key part of our team, he is a great athlete and a great person. He keeps me young and this whole journey is better with him on the team.”

Forward Racing is a domestic team. While both Fincham and L’Esperance have personal goals geared toward World Cup racing, that happens through the support from the Canadian National Team.

At North American races, the Nova Scotia rider has shown his ability to go fast when faced with an open track. At Canada Cups and US Cup races, L’Esperance has consistently been on the podium all season.

That success continued at the 2018 national championships in Canmore, Alta. After losing the front pack off the start, L’Esperance worked his way back through the field throughout the race, passing Evan Guthrie on the last lap to claim fourth.

For the final round of 2018 Canada Cup, the series heads east to Kentville, Nova Scotia this August. It’s a big deal for Forward Racing, and for L’Esperance. “Because there hasn’t been a Canada Cup out here in more than 10 years, I’ve never race a Canada Cup in my own province,” he says “so that will be a really good experience.”

Forward Racing will be on hand when the Canada Cup lands in Kentville, of course. With it being Lespy’s home province, he says “The team has a lot of support out here, so we definitely want to show up and perform.”

It’s also a chance to bring Forward Racing back to where many of the teams supporters are based. Being involved with the organizing side of Forward Racing has brought a deeper appreciation of the support he receives as a racer. “our sponsors are people that believe in us, and believe in the team, and so bringing them along for the ride, and making them feel part of it is important,” says L’Esperance. “They’re part of helping a couple athletes reach some pretty big goals.”

As for East Coast riding? “It’s a smaller community of riders, but really tight knit.” Trail building is growing and, though L’Esperance gets to train and race around the world, he says “There’s some hidden gems of trail riding out there, in all the provinces.” He adds, “It’s really coming on strong out east.”

While binging the team back to the East Coast amplifies the experience, and the connection to the teams support, L’Esperance says Forward Racing is a rewarding experience year round.

“There’s certainly a lot of pride, organizing your own team and getting to be out there.”