Léandre Bouchard steps away from Quebec’s Pivot Cycles-OTE
Three years and one national title later
Photo by:
Nick Iwanyshyn
Léandre Bouchard is on the move. The Canadian elite men’s cross country national champion made the announcement this week that 2021 was his last season with Pivot Cycles-OTE.
While part of the “Blue Train” for three years, Bouchard netted several noteworthy results. His first elite men’s XCO national title is the latest, but not the only one. The tall Quebec rider broke into the top-15 of a World Cup race, twice. He was the top Canadian elite man at 2019 world championships at Mont-Sainte-Anne. He also landed Canada Cup wins and found himself fighting with the front group at several Short Track XCC World Cup events.
“I would like to thank Pivot Cycles-OTE publicly before a change of structure in 2022,” Bouchard posted, adding “They were great years with this Quebec team and I am very grateful to the team. Thank you!”
Where will the Alma, Que. racer ride out his 2022 season? That remains to be seen, but it sounds like there is already something in the works.
Bouchard isn’t the only top Canadian cross country racer making a change for ’22. Jenn Jackson, Canada’s elite women’s XCO national champion, Haley Smith and Andrew L’Esperance all left Norco Factory Team, Catharine Pendrel retired from racing to join Cycling Canada’s coaching staff and Emilly Johnston ended her year with the World Cycling Centre in Switzerland.
