Tandem paracyclists offered quite a show to the amateurs gathered at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on the last of three days of the Loto-Québec Road Races Classics presented in the framework of the Défi sportif.
For the second 52.8 km race of the weekend, Daniel Chalifour and Pierre Boilard edged Stéphane Côté and Pierre-Olivier Boily by mere millimetres. Alexandre Carrier and Luc Dionne finished immediately behind after a furious sprint.
With the total of the two road races and the time trial, Chalifour and Boilard won, ahead of Carrier and Dionne, new hopefuls of the discipline in Quebec, Côté and Boily finishing third.
Chalifour’s performances are more than worthy of praise. He learned only two weeks before the event that his regular pilot, Alexandre Cloutier, could not guide him. “Pierre did excellent work. We rode for the first time together this past Friday only.”
The Mont-Laurier athlete was rather enthusiastic about this successful adaptation and his performance. “I feel stronger than ever”, declared the cyclist who broke a toe last spring and then again in the fall, after the Paralympic Games.
Chalifour is thrilled with Carrier and Dionne’s arrival. “Alexandre and Luc opened up right from the start, Friday evening, and we had to do the same. That is what gives me the most pride, winning through hard work.”
“Work twice as hard”
For his part, Côté was happy with his effort on Sunday, but also level-headed. “We were in good enough shape to hold our own, but were lacking a bit for a win.”
The Québec paracyclist did not have the opportunity to train as much as he would have wanted over the last few months, Technician in the employ of the Revenue department, he worked full-time all winter. He also became the father of a little girl now 10 months old.
“Our goal is to be the most improved tandem at the Canadian Championships in six weeks. We’ll have to work twice as hard”, Côté admitted.
Boily made essentially the same analysis as his partner. “Our level of form was so-so when we arrived here. On the other hand, it improved nicely.”
The Sherbrooke resident also had good words about Carrier and Dionne. “Alexandre and Luc are great hopefuls. They pedaled really strongly today.”
In the LC 1-4 (locomotor limitation) category, a sprint also livened up the spectacle. Columbian Jacome Manosalva Kennedy Alfonfo won, bettering Éric Bourgault and Mark Breton.
“Today, we attacked and tried to hurt him. But he was very strong”. Breton said about Kennedy Alfonfo who came out on top after the three events of the weekend.
“We just were not fast enough”, Bourgault added. “He started the sprint quite early. He surprised us when he was able to maintain his speed. For my part, I maybe needed a bit more time.”
The Défi sportif constituted the first step of the competition season for many Quebec paracyclists. The World Championships, which will be presented in Europe in early September, will be its conclusion.
Written by Sportcom