October 31/98 2:19 am - On the Road, Québec Awards

Posted by Editor on 10/31/98
 

We Are On the Road

Posting will be sporadic over the next few days, since we are in Chicago for the CABDA trade show. We are supposed to hook up with Chrissy Redden at some point after the `Cross race and will get an update for our readers.


FQSC Honors Athletes and Inducts Two Members to the Hall of Fame
(courtesy FQSC, and thanks to Claire for the translation!)

On October 18th, the FQSC hosted its annual Merites Cyclist Quebecoisés brunch to recognize / honor 43 persons and organizations, and induct 2 new members to the Cycling Hall of Fame.

The 1998 women athletes of the year in the different sectors are Lyne Bessette (road and Track), Melanie Dorion (MTB) and Melanie Desrochers (BMX). On the men‚s side Mathieu Toulouse and Frederic Poulin were choices for the MTB title, Sylvain Beauchamps was nominated on the road, while Dominic Therrien got the BMX honors.

In the "development" category Genevieve Jeanson (road) Charles Dionne (road), Marisol Bernier and Jean Francois Laroche (MTB) and Patrick Dionne (BMX) received the awards.

In the espoir category the awards winners are Mathieu Laurin and Julie Sanders (MTB), Dominique Rollin and Melanie Angers (Road and Track), Olivier Hogue and Sabrina Montour (BMX).

In the veteran category Marc Lapointe and Wendy Van der Weyden claimed the honors on the road while Luc Blain and Suzie Ketere did the same in the MTB sector.

Coaches of the year are Jules Rancourt (MTB), Vincent Jourdain (Road and Track) and Dylan J. Vanier (BMX).

Commissaires of the year Michel Bourgeault (R&T), Pierre Lemay (MTB) and Marcel Lord (BMX)

The winners of the " High performance club" category are the Ford Devinci team (MTB), Radio Energie team (R&T) and Mauricycle La Tuque (BMX). The development clubs winners are Tourcom (R&T), Boom ski Velo club (MTB) and Mauricycle La Tuque (BMX).

The Mont Ste Anne MTB World Championships, Grand Prix Cycliste de Beauce and the Eastern National BMX championships were the winners of the category National / International events.

The provincial events category awards went to Bromont MTB Quebec Cup Finals, GP La Prairie and Iberville BMX Quebec Cup finals.

Also honored for their individual performances / medals at the Commonwealth Games were Lyne Bessette (road) and Annie Gariepy (track). Genevieve Jeanson was honored for her third place finish at the Junior Road Worlds as well as Julie Cournoyer and Alexandre Cloutier for their medals at the Handisport World Championships (road co-ed tandem).

The President‚s Trophy was given to the MTB World Championships organization for the exceptional quality of their work and for the " general awareness" it has developed.

Quebec Cycling Hall of Fame

Jean Lessard was inducted in the athletes and sport builder category while Gille Durand was inducted in the athlete category.

Jean Lessard raced with distinction for 11 years (1965-1975). A National Team member for 5 years, he participated in 2 world championships (1969 and 1973). He was the 1971 Road North American Champion and 1973 Canadian team time trail champion. He also won the prestigious 1973 La Malbaie-Quebec and Montreal Grand Prix . He has built an enviable reputation as organizer, while working on the Grand Prix de Beauce from 1986 to 1996 as well as the 1986 Quebec Road Championships and the 1988 National Road Championshps. He is also involved with the organization of the Canada Women Grand Prix since 1997, and he took on the technical direction of the 1998 Montreal Women‚s World Cup. Jean Leasard started in 1997 to work as a professional organizer of cycling competitions. He joins Guy Morin, who since 1986 has been the only one recognized in both athletes and sport builder category.

Gilles Durand has raced for 16 years with distinction. He raced at the Montreal Olympics (53rd RR) and Munich (56th RR and 14th TTT). He also participated in the Montreal World Championships (1974) finishing 17th in the TTT. He took 27th place at the PanAm Games in 1971, and he raced in numerous events in Europe from 1971 to 1975, winning two races and being on the podium on multiple occasions. In 1969 he was the ITT National Junior champion. He was Quebec Road Champion in 1970-71 and 1974, and won the prestigious La Malbaie-Quebec race in 1972, 1975 and finished second in 1974. He won the 1971 Tour du Saguenay-Lac St Jean and the 1974 Tour de la Gaspesie. He was in the running for the title of Best Male Athlete of the Year in 1972, 1973 and 1974 by the Palestre Nationale.