The Champions of Tuesday Night
Les Mardis cyclistes de Lachine began with a simple rock marking its start line. As the race series enters its fortieth year, it’s a cornerstone of Quebec’s cycling scene
Les Mardis cyclistes de Lachine began with a simple rock marking its start line. As the race series enters its fortieth year, it’s a cornerstone of Quebec’s cycling scene
On a Tuesday evening in the Montreal borough of Lachine, a group of volunteers converges to set up for a popular criterium that will draw a throng of cyclists. They will range from pre-teen amateurs to old pros. The course for Les Mardis cyclistes de Lachine is one mile (1.62 km) that loops around and through Parc Lasalle. Crowds form to watch the fast-paced competition that will happen 10 times throughout the summer.
The very first race took off from here at the end of the ’70s during a different era of cycling. Tino Rossi, an amateur cyclist who had decided to retire after one too many crashes, had an idea that he hoped would work toward encouraging kids, and even some of his friends, to take up a sport instead of drugs.
In 1977, there were a few trial runs, but 1978 marked the first official year of Les Mardis cyclistes de Lachine. Rossi used a rock he found to mark the start/finish line. Traffic still drove through the course. Seven cyclists competed that first year. Rossi discovered that some of his friends were essentially able to turn their lives around because they had to take up a training regimen to compete and they were in good company with fellow like-minded individuals. That was the beginning of what has become an esteemed criterium (although Rossi emphasizes his races are different from the typical definition of a crit) that continues to both launch careers and lure pros.
For the past 40 years, Rossi has been the heart and soul of this series, working to get city hall to recognize the event, eventually closing off the street and securing funds from the city of Montreal from 2016 through 2018. “He got the support of the city and the athletes,” says Léandre Drolet, a journalist who covered the event for many years, and who was hired two years ago by Rossi to head up communications for Les Mardis cyclistes.
Even if professional cyclists can’t make it out to the event every week, the race figures into many of their summer schedules. Floyd Landis, Steve Bauer, Antoine Duchesne and other pros have all competed on a Tuesday night. There are male and female categories for 12- to 14-year olds, another for 14 to 17, adult and elite. Many teams show up, as well. For example, a junior team from New Zealand participated before doing the Tour de l’abitibi. “If you have good results, there’s a good chance you will be approached for a national team,” says Rossi.
Pierrick Naud of Rally Cycling has been “doing the Lachine” for the past 10 years, since he was in the cadet category (14 to 17). “It is great that the race has been around for so many years,” he says. “When you are young, it’s a great way to get really good experience and race with older people. When a guy like Hugo Houle shows up, it’s impressive for the younger racers and it gives a better show.”
The Lachine course, renowned for being fast, leads racers around that one-mile loop 10 to 31 times, depending on their category. Thierry Kirouac-marcassa, who won the yellow jersey twice in the cadet category and who won the junior men’s national championship road race last year, says the unique thing about the race is the speed. “It’s a
criterium that was made for going very fast with custom, wide turns,” he explains.
“It’s really good for practising sprints and getting used to high speed,” adds Naud.
Another unique aspect that Rossi brings up is the points system he invented. It rewards the fastest riders in the sprints that occur every five laps, much like a points race on the track. “This is a race to know who is the strongest athlete and with this type of race you have to work,” says Rossi. “You have to be there every sprint if you want to be a champion.”
This year marks a few milestones for the event. It will be the first year without Rossi at the helm. Montreal turns 375, Lachine is 350 and Les Mardis cyclistes de Lachine will celebrate its 40th year. Drolet says that there will be surprises throughout the season but wouldn’t reveal them ahead of the series’ start on June 6. Rossi hints that the mayor has something in store for the final race.
That start-line rock from almost 40 years ago has evolved into a professional start line and a photo finish, There’s also a podium and even stands for those who come to watch; Rossi says an average Tuesday night can lure 5,000 to 6,000 spectators and up to 30,000 for the finale.
In 2016, it was announced that Rossi would be stepping down and passing the torch to the Néron brothers, who own five bike shops and have been in the business since 1970. This year, the Nérons will run the show. The brothers approached Rossi about getting involved in the criterium, which led to Rossi’s decision to retire. “It’s natural to have their name involved with Les Mardis cyclistes,” he says.
Rossi’s passion has been rewarded throughout the years. He says he’s the only guy with a bicycle-based organization to be inducted into the Panthéon des Sports du Québec (Sports Hall of Fame), an organization in the province that has honoured athletes such as Maurice Richard. He’s also received the Confederation medal from Queen Elizabeth, among numerous other honours. “It’s a nice credit,” he says for something he’s done to help better society. “Sports make better people,” he says simply.
Rossi expects he won’t be able to stay away from Les Mardis cyclistes completely. He says he’ll probably be asked to consult here and there about various aspects of the event. But when asked how he feels about entrusting his legacy to someone else, Rossi, 77, states confidently: “Les Mardis cyclistes has a very solid spine financially and I leave my baby healthy.”