Like many cyclists in the city, Nicolas Côté has often trained at the famous Mount Royal circuit, but he will face his baptism of fire in front of several supporters on Sunday at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal.

After Frenchman Benoît Cosnefroy’s first career win in Quebec on Friday, cyclists arrived in Montreal awaiting the start this morning of the second race, which includes 18 terrifying climbs of the Camilien-Houde route. The weather looks perfect again.

For his part, Côté didn’t manage to finish the race in the old capital, but he enjoyed every second despite the pain. The Canadian team also managed to land hopeful Carson Miles in the breakaway of the day.

At ice hockey

Côté has the physique to throw shoulder punches on an ice rink, but on a bike he now harnesses the power of his 6ft 3in.

He knows very well that opportunities to fight with Houle and Boivin, especially at home in Montreal, are rare. His experience as a defender should help him a bit as he doesn’t plan on attacking on Polytechnique Hill.

“I come from the hockey world. I grew up very quickly and got a foothold in one summer. I had the sting in the criteria. I did it too fixed gear, fixed gear bicycle. It was my front door. I had a good shot. It allowed me to stand out and run a bit abroad, especially in Milan,” explains the athlete from Saint-Bruno.

A front door

Regardless of their age, since 2010 several local talents have managed to carve their way into the cycling Grand Prix peloton and are dreaming of a feat that will open their first door to the top.

While young hopefuls in their early 20s often move to Europe to perfect their development, others who are a few years older simply try to seize every opportunity that comes their way. At 26, Côté is inspired by James Piccoli and Michael Woods, late bloomers in cycling.

“I said that one day I will do this Grand Prix. I got there and it’s amazing. I worked hard and got my first UCI continental pro experience this year. I drove in Romania and scored points in Greece. I hope for a bright future and I will have many people to support me here. You have to be persistent,” adds the Quebec cyclist.

In announcing his retirement, Antoine Duchesne repeated: “You have to believe in it. Côté got the message right. “If you invest the time, it’s possible,” he says.

Far from the turmoil that shakes the national team, the athlete in Montreal wants to live an unforgettable experience.

A degree

A few days ago, coach Dominick Gauthier, founder of B2ten, which funds athletes, said the problem for Cycling Canada goes well beyond money.

“It’s more his attitude that borders on disrespect for his best athletes,” the former freestyle skier wrote. Nicolas Côté prefers to speak of the importance of parallel academic training.

“Time flies fast. You have to seize the opportunities and think about the time after your career. It is possible to combine sports and high-level studies,” concludes the cyclist, who is studying mechanical engineering.

♦ The national criterium organized alongside the Grand Prix on the Avenue du Parc was won on Saturday by Charles Duquette of the Macadam’s Cowboys team, who won several lengths on the motorcycle in the final sprint.

♦ The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal starts at 10:15 am on Sunday morning. The event consists of 18 laps over a distance of 221.4 km. The arrival is scheduled around 4:15 p.m. at Parc Jeanne-Mance on Avenue du Parc.