Mountain biking: an Abitibi team is trying to make its mark at the national level

The Ponsse team was first founded in 2018 by Amos residents Claudie Deschênes and Christian Roy to mentor their sons Xavier and Jacob, who were taking part in more and more Coupe Québec and Canada Cup events. Since then, the team has grown with four other runners from the Quebec region.

” We did a just family first year, with Jacob, Xavier and me. Subsequently, we began to add other riders to the team to reach a total of six. And this year, we have a head coach, Aroussen Laflamme, who joined the team with his son Jeremy. »

The parents of Benjamin and Maxime Théberge as well as those of Juliette Larose-Gingras are also involved in the team.

We look at the objectives of the riders, according to the categories, then we try to divide up over the whole of the season, which extends from April to September. We try to free ourselves from the blocks to be able to supervise the runners. We try to divide it between the familiessays Christian Roy.

Canada Cup and World Cup

It must be said that the riders of the Ponsse team compete in events in the Quebec Cup, the Canada Cup and the World Cup. In April, they also participated in parts of the US Cup, in Arkansas.

We try to get as many as possible from the Team Quebec and Team Canada programs. All runners eligible for the Quebec performance component are on the List of Identified Athletes. Xavier and Juliette are part of Cycling Canada’s development program. Above all, the team offers them technical support and the pleasure of organizing events as a gang. We also have good sponsors who make it possible to offer certain advantages to the runners, to help them with their registrations and the costs of the coaches. We bought a marquee and a trailer to have a gathering place at the competition sitesemphasizes Christian Roy.

The team holds a provincial license, but aspires to a charter with Cycling Canada, or even the International Cycling Union. It would allow us to participate in all UCI races with the colors of the teamsays Christian Roy.

Ideal for progress

The only girl in the group, Juliette Larose-Gingras, from Lac-Beauport, loves the family concept and feels that she is progressing since joining the Ponsse team last year. Currently 4th in the Canada Cup standings, she has qualified for the Canada Games, which will take place in Niagara in August.

Basically, I’m really friends with Xavier. I thought it was great fun as a concept with all the families. For me, it was a really refreshing concept. It was ideal to grow, to evolve in my sport. We also all get along really well. We are relatively all in the same age group. We have a lot in common. It’s always fun to ride a bike together. The fact that they’re all guys helps me improve technically, because most of them are better than me. I find it perfectbelieves the 19-year-old athlete.

Benefit from the experience of others

The youngest member of the team, at 15, Jacob Roy benefits from the experience of the other riders. This year, he is doing well, leading the Canada Cup standings among the U17 Experts. The day after his qualification for the Quebec Games, on June 12 in Amos, he flew to Calgary with his big brother Xavier (Canadian U17 Experts champion in 2018) and Juliette, to participate in sections of the Canada Cup with the Quebec team.

It is certain that since we are made with more athletes in the team, it is more fun to practice the courses. There are those who have more experience, who can show us tricks, lines. My brother Xavier, I think he gives me the most. He made the mistakes and the good deals, it’s good to know that in advance. It takes the pressure off and gives you more confidence. I’m really glad he can be there for me. It is also a very big advantage to have Aroussen in the team. Since he’s been my trainer, it’s been working really wellsays Jacob Roy.