Houle riding wave of positivity at Astana and at Cycling Canada

Canadian WorldTour rider Hugo Houle continues growth spurt with red-hot Astana and commends national cycling federation for current momentum

Canadian Cycling Magazine February 24, 2019

by Aaron S. Lee

To say Astana is on a roll is perhaps a massive understatement. The Kazakh-registered WorldTour has team amassed 11 victories spread across four races in four countries in just 15 days in the latter half of February, and Canadian Hugo Houle was on the start for five of those victories, including three stage wins and a general classification captured by teammate Alexey Lutsenko at the Tour of Oman (UCI 2.HC).

’It shows how many good riders we have on the team,” Houle told Canadian Cycling Magazine. “We have a lot of options. We were racing four races and at the end we were competitive for GC in each race.

“That’s the culture in Astana. Now there is good momentum where everybody that comes has nice energy, a nice vibe. Everybody is relaxed. They don’t put pressure for results. Of course, we are professionals. We need to win the races, and we know that. Everyone does what they need to do … at the end of the day it’s all the energy you build up, the friendship with the guys, the riders, you can achieve great things together.”

The @AstanaTeam is red-hot right now — capturing 8 wins in 8 days, and Canadian cyclist @HugoHoule has played a key role in three of those wins, including two from current @tourofoman race leader @AlexeyLutsenko3, but it’s a total team effort, Hugo tells @CanadianCycling #TOO2019 pic.twitter.com/FKbHaJ9evB

— Aaron S. Lee (@aaronshanelee) February 19, 2019

The 28-year-old Sainte-Perpétue native is entering his seventh year as a professional cyclist, his second with Astana after signing on in late 2017 after spending five years previously with French team AG2R La Mondiale. Houle played a role in Astana’s stage wins at Tour de Romandie and Critérium du Dauphiné, as well as an overall victory at Arctic Race of Norway in just his first season with the team (2018). It was a trend of results not lost on Houle, who also claims that credit cannot be fully contributed to his own personal performances.

“So far so good, as I would say,” said Houle. “Almost every stage race I’ve done, we’ve won a stage or the GC, so it’s quite good. I don’t think it’s me. It’s just that we have a team that is performing and a lot of guys can take the leadership.

“What makes the difference is that it’s a team that really works together and everybody has there chance one day. We are committed to the team plan and that’s how you succeed.”

With Oman done and dusted, Houle returns to Belgium for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne before heading to France for Paris-Nice en route to a seventh start at Paris-Roubaix.

With @tourofoman nearly done and dusted, Canadian @HugoHoule (@AstanaTeam) will be headed back to Europe for a big month of racing in Belgium en route to @Paris_Roubaix, and then hopefully @LeTour …

via @CanadianCycling #TOO2019 pic.twitter.com/nWvnjW0Fr3

— Aaron S. Lee (@aaronshanelee) February 20, 2019

However, Spring Classics aside, Houle has his sights on a grander goal this year, specifically referring to the ‘grandest stage of them all.”

“The No. 1 goal is to start and finish the Tour de France,” said the three-time Grand Tour veteran, who has raced the Giro d’Italia twice and Vuelta a España once, but never the Tour. “I want to be really consistent and strong on every terrain — I can climb, I can go on cobbles, I can help with the sprint.”

The 2015 national and Pan American Games time trial champion is also keen to avenge what he believes was a sub-par showing at last year’s world championships in Innsbruck, Austria, where Canadian teammate Michael Woods (EF-Education First) took bronze in the men’s road race.

Hugo Houle Tour of Oman Astana — Tour of Oman – Stage 3 – Shati Al Qurum – Qurayyat. Image: Pauline Ballet / ASO

“I want to put more emphasis on the time trial. Last year I gave it a way a little bit to do more team work with Astana,” admitted Houle. “I worked a lot in the offseason on position, and have new bike with Argon 18 — really fast stuff — so material-wise we will be on top of the game and I want to step up my game also to be there.

“We are going to target big, big form for world championships and also be there for Michael Woods,” he continued. “Last year he was really strong and I don’t think I was at my top level there. This year I want to be really strong for world championships for road race and time trial, which will be a good challenge for me to keep me motivated all the way through September.”

Speaking of motivation, Houle, who talked to CCM last fall in Norway about the significance of Steve Bauer paving a pathway for Canadian riders to the WorldTour, is encouraged with the progress of not only himself and his team, but also that of Cycling Canada.

“There is a lot of movement at Cycling Canada now,” said Houle. “It’s good and fresh, with people coming up in the management of road and track cycling. We have good momentum. Also Mike Woods showed it’s possible to delver big results at world championships and that’s something huge for us. I hope that opens the door more and more for the kids to develop young Canadian cyclists.”