Les Mardis Cyclistes p/b Jean Coutu; 35th season starts June 5

Les Mardis Cyclistes photos © Pasquale Stalteri / Miroir du Cyclisme

Mardis Cyclistes presented by Jean Coutu;

35th season starts June 5

May 24, 2012 (Lachine, QC) – The Mardis Cyclistes series of road bike races sees its 35^th season in 2012 with the first race of this year scheduled to start on the evening of Tuesday, June 5. Earlier in 2012, Jean Coutu Group (PJC) Inc. signed on as the new title sponsor of the series based in Lachine.

While the senior men’s 50km races remain the star attraction, the Mardis series also incorporates races at cadet, junior, and masters levels for both men and women. The 2011 senior men’s series champion, Jean-Francois Laroche (Fantino Mondello – Cycles Régis), an amateur, won over many of Quebec’s top professional riders. Laroche jokes about racing the Tuesday evenings in Lachine and then riding back to his downtown law office to work on cases.

And over the years, many Quebec cyclists who now race in Europe have used the Mardis series as their launching pad. This list includes Guillaume Boivin (SpiderTech), Dominique Rollin (FDJ-BigMat), and David Veilleux (Europcar).

It is not only top riders from Quebec who are found on the start line at the Mardis series. In 2011, the New Zealand junior team made a guest appearance there on July 12 with team member Dion Smith (Pure Black) finishing second that evening behind David Veilleux. Austrian track rider Andreas Muller (Berliner) came in for one race on June 21 to finish sixth.  

The 2012 season extends through 10 Tuesdays from June 5 to August 14, but with a pause on July 24. The origin of the Mardis Lachine races around LaSalle Park dates back to 1978 when Joseph ‘Tino’ Rossi etched the start and finish lines with chalk. Today Rossi is still in charge of the event, but with considerable resources to back him up. 

Official website HERE

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