Looking Ahead

Granfondo Garneau-quebecor

August 12, 2018

This August, the 118-kilometre Granfondo Garneau-Quebecor will roll out of Trois-rivières, Que., for Saint-augustin-de-desmaures for the 10th time. Since 2009, the event has raised more than $500,000 for Little Brothers, an organization that builds what it calls extended families to support seniors aging alone. Louis Garneau, president and founder of Louis Garneau Sports Inc., and spokesperson for Little Brothers, hopes that this anniversary year will help increase the event’s already impressive legacy.

“I invite everyone, from all provinces in Canada, to come and take part,” Garneau says. “It’s a truly special experience to ride the historic Chemin du Roy.” The point-to-point route follows the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. “We pass through 10 communities in all, and there will be a celebration in each. This year, everything will be bigger – more people, more food, and hopefully, more fundraising.”

Honorary president Kim Boutin – who won three medals in short-track speed skating at the Pyeongchang Olympic Games – from nearby Sherbrooke, will oversee this year’s event.

The 22-km minifondo is returning for its second year, “We have a lot of families who come along with Granfondo riders,” Garneau says. “Now, instead of just waiting around, the family can go for a nice ride together. About 30 minutes after they finish, the Granfondo riders start to arrive. It’s nice to have everyone there to greet them at the finish line.”

This year, the Granfondo course has been rerouted around Gagnon hill, an i ncline that averages 7 per cent that challenged previous finishers 2 km from the finish. “I quite liked the climb,” says Garneau. “It was a good way to finish a long ride, but removing it makes the event accessible to more people. It also means that we’re going to have very fast finishes this year.” quebecgranfondo.com—julesmaitland