Louis Garneau launches mountain bike club for 2017
Based in the Portneuf region, the club will be open to riders of all abilities and ages
A new mountain bike club open to riders of all levels was launched on Thursday by Olympian Louis Garneau. In 2012, the Club cycliste Garneau Quebec debuted offering weekly road rides to its members that in 2016 numbered 179. Now the club expands to the trails helping nurture members passions for mountain biking at the recreational or competitive level with the club being open to mountain bikers of all ages and experience.
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The club will be based in the Portneuf municipality west of Quebec City and build off the success of the road club which offers vehicle support on rides to ensure safety. The mountain bike will strive to offer the same support so that members can pursue the sport with the fullest enjoyment.
Regardless of age or skill level members will be given the opportunity to train in Saint-Augustin, Val-Bélair and other trails in the Portneuf region. Jonathan Cantin has been brought on as the chief instructor and will create training programs for recreational mountain bikers to better enjoy tackling the trails as well as help those wishing to start or progress in the sport at a competitive level.
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“Our goal is to enable families living in or close to Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures to have access to quality training,” explained Garneau. “There has never been a major mountain bike club west of Quebec City. In addition, since mountain biking was born 40 years ago this year, we thought the timing was perfect.”
The club was started in collaboration with the president of the Association régionale de vélo de montagne Québec Chaudière Appalaches, Gilles Morneau who expressed enthusiasm about the initiative that he said fulfills a need in the region. Morneau said that Garneau is already involved in the organization of races on the regional circuit so it was logical to continue helping the development of the sport with this initiative. Also on hand for the announcement was Olympic mountain biker Raphaël Gagné.
Those interested in joining the club will be able to do so online beginning in mid-January at garneauclub.com or at the Vélo Espace Garneau Concept shop located at 40D des Grands-Lacs Street, St-Augustin.
