My 2000 season

This year, I move up one category, to that of "minime". The season had its beginning on April 30 at the Richard Michaud of Bellefeuille Memorial race. The race was 18 kilometers long and there was a lot of wind. More importantly, the day before, I received my new Cannondale bike. I finished 4th (of 4 girls), but I don't feel so bad since I was able to renew a lot of friendships at the race, including that of Guillaume Nourry of Détroit!

May 11. I take part once more in a criterium at Brossard. It is cold, there is a lot of wind, and there is even some rain. The race is 12.4 km long. I get lapped with 4 laps to go (7 total laps). On my last lap, there is some confusion and I am shown the black and white checkered flag rather than having the bell sounded (a bell is sounded for a rider who has one lap remaining - ed). I realize the error, but it slows me down to 25 km/hr when I should have sped up. I finished 3rd of 3 girls. But I am proud of my race.

May 13. I return to Granby for a 5 kilometer time trial. I finish in 2nd place out of 2 girls. Mylène Laliberté, of the La Prairie cycle club, finished 1st in this race. I did not feel so badly about my placement, but what was much more satisfying to me was that I met a great champion; Geneviève Jeanson. After I finished my race, my mother told me that she was sure that she saw Geneviève Jeanson. I don't believe it but I look around in hopes of meeting her. Following the awards ceremony, we go to the rear of the old Bell telephone factory and we meet Mr. Aubut (Geneviève Jeanson's coach). Geneviève herself is warming up, but nevertheless she made herself available and is very happy to talk with me. She signs the ribbon of my medal. This medal is now the most precious of all of those which I have won.

May 20-21. The real racing begins with the first event of the Argon 18 Espoir Cup in La Prairie. I finish in 11th place in the road race, in 4th place in the Skills Competition, in 10th place in the Time Trial, and in 12th place in the Criterium. I am satisfied with my performance in the skills test. Despite one fall, I scored well enough. Also, I renewed my friendship with my cousin Julie Bélanger of New Brunswick! Julie is racing in the cadet category and is in contention for the leader's jersey, which is called the Argon 18 jersey!

May 27. I compete in a road race near Mirabel. It is a long race (38 kilometers) to do in the wind. For the "minime" category riders, the race consists of two laps of a 19 kilometer loop. Three hundred meters after the finish line, I crashed when a minime category rider from Brossard, who did not know that he was supposed to continue in a straight line, turned in front of me and cut me off. This was my first experience with the asphalt - OUCH!

June 17-18. Hull. This is the second event of the Argon 18 Espoir Cup. The first stage is a Road Race. There is a descent with a turn right at the start. I am not very big and I am a bit afraid. This weekend, I mess up all of my starts except for the Time Trial. In the road race, I finish in 11th place (out of 14 participants). In the Time Trial and the Criterium, I finish 10th. I do a lot better in the Skills Competition where I finish in 4th place a few seconds behind the 3rd place finisher.

July 8-9. The third event of the Argon 18 Espoir Cup is held in Alma. The road race takes place under sunny skies and hot weather. It is the first time in my 3 years of racing that I have seen Lake Saint-John under the sun! I finish in 10th place (out of 11) in the road race. The course was very demanding with numerous climbs in addition to the heat. In the time trial, I finished in 9th place. The course was dreadful, approaching a false plateau for more than 3 kilometers! In the Skills Competition, I finish in 5th place following one awful surprise: the cone slalom was held with a different gear ratio than I had always done prior to this! The Criterium took place under cloudy skies and for the cadets it rained (their race was cancelled). In my race, I finished in 10th place. Overall, for the weekend, I was also 10th.

July 21-22. Val d'Or and the prestigeous Tour de l'Abitibi awaited the troops of the youth brigades for the fourth event of the Argon 18 Quebec Cup. The first stage was a road race of 25 km. I finish in 9th position (out of 10 riders), but this is the first time this year that I was able to stay with the main group! The skills games make up the 2nd stage and I finish in 6th place. Stage 3 is a time trial of 4.8 km. I am again 9th. The race was difficult with a headwind all the way. In the afternoon, there is a team time trial. For this, I team up with Claudie Bouchard Alary, Pascal Moreault (Mount Larier Cycling Club) and, to complete the team, Martin-Pierre Drolet of the St. Foy club. We finish 6th out of 8 teams. The last race of the weekend is a criterium of 15.4 km. Again, I am able to stay with the main group and I finish 8th. Overall, for the weekend, I finish 6th. I am very satisfied with my performance as a whole. And oh yes, next year I promise myself that I will bring back a brown, orange, blue, or red juniors jersey. Those who have them now are so fortunate!

August 5-6. I return to the Grand Prix of Cycling, Beaupré to Beaupré. The first day of racing takes place on the island of Orleans and features climbs and descents with 10% gradients all with interminable winds. The race is almost suicidal for there is one long, steady descent which ends in at a trafic light (the racers must come to a complete stop at the traffic light before continuing). I am able to stay with the main group until the final climb. I finish in 7th place. The next day there was a time trial at St. Joachim. It is a very picturesque course but windy! I finish in 7th place with a time of 9 minutes 40 seconds. In the afternoon, there is a criterium of 14 km (7 laps). There are two good climbs and one descent. I get dropped on the first lap, but I still manage to finish in 7th place.

Already, we come to the last get together of the year! My bike is not in good shape for the most important race of the year. The gear change mechanism is not working right and our team mechanic does not have the necessary replaement parts. The championship begins with a 5 km time trial against a head wind. I finish in 10th place with a time of 10 minutes 35 seconds. Next is a road race of 37 km and I finish 11th. For the criterium, I borrow a bike from my cousin Roxane, who is in the pee-wee category. Following her race, her father changes the front chain ring so that I can use the bike, but the bike itself is still too small! The frame is not big enough! I finish in 9th place, lapping two riders. For the Skills Competition, I again use my own bike. I make 4 errors, but I do not know my final results for they were not posted before I had to leave. Likewise, I do not know my results for the overall finish.

I hope that everyone enjoyed their season. Now some racers will move up one category while others will remain in the same championship bracket for one more year. Good luck to one and all for the 2001 season!