Like the entire cycling community, Hugo Houle received as a shock the news of the tragic death of Davide Rebellin, hit by a trucker during an outing in Italy, just a month and a half after his retirement at the venerable age of 51. years, Wednesday.
Without being close to him, Houle occasionally met the Italian in the Monaco region, he who lived in Menton, a few kilometers away, with his wife Françoise.
Precisely, on Sunday, the Quebec cyclist took part with Rebellin in the Beking criterium in the principality, a charity event intended for young people in which the many professionals of the place participate. In an evening gala, Houle saw the dean of the peloton honored for his career with Belgian Philippe Gilbert, another new retiree with whom he shared the distinction of a masterful Ardennes hat-trick (Amstel Gold Race–Flèche Wallonne–Liège-Bastogne -Cork).
Three days later, Houle was on a bicycle when Rebellin was hit by the driver of a semi-trailer truck in a roundabout, about ten kilometers from the family residence in northeastern Italy. . The driver continued on his way before coming to a stop, surveillance cameras revealed. The driver got out for a few seconds to see what had happened before leaving, without it being known if he had realized that he had just hit a cyclist. It was Rebellin’s brother who discovered the inert body.
It’s always a shock. It reminds us that life is fragile. It’s sad to see that.
Hugo Houle, on the death of Davide Rebellin
The Israel-Premier Tech member was unaware of the details of the accident at the time of the interview. He felt like Rebellin had gone riding near his home in Menton, across the border between France and Italy. He wondered if he hadn’t taken the same route the day before.
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“It is true that there are several city crossings in Italy where there is a lot more traffic. It moves a lot, you have to be careful. Sometimes the tanks don’t stop. It can be a moment of inattention or that we are not seen. It’s part of everyday life, we share the road with the cars and we are much smaller. Of course we are vulnerable. »
Rebellin began his career the day after his participation in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. The renowned puncher played 30 professional seasons. In addition to his successes in the Ardennes, he signed some prestigious successes by winning Tirreno-Adriatico, Paris-Nice and the Classic San Sebastian.
PHOTO FRANCK FIFE, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES Davide Rebellin in 2007
His career took a turn for the worse in 2008 when his silver medal at the Beijing Olympics was stripped after he tested positive for recombinant EPO (CERA). Cleared by Italian courts years later, he never regained his medal or quite managed to regain his virginity.
Houle especially remembers having rubbed shoulders with the Italian when he played for the Polish CCC (from 2013 to 2016). He was known as an affable, shy and reserved man who rode with passion. At the time of his accident, he was riding a gravel bike, a new discipline he intended to embrace.
“It’s still special, agreed Houle about this atypical course. It doesn’t matter who the person is, whether it’s a professional or not, it’s always cruel. You’re going to do what you like, a little bike ride, and then you never come home. »
The stage winner at the last Tour de France can unfortunately testify to this. In December 2012, his younger brother Pierrik experienced the same disastrous fate when he was caught while jogging in Saint-Perpétue by a drunk driver.
“It leaves traces, traces for the whole family,” said Houle. Each time, it reminds us that an accident can happen quickly. When you drive, you sometimes want to go fast between cars. We are in our training, we pass a little quickly on a traffic light, a stop sign. You have to take it easy, calm down a bit. »
“Stop the massacre”, implored the daily The Gazetta dello Sport on his prima pagina Wednesday. Rebellin’s death joins those of Michele Scarponi, killed in similar circumstances in 2017, and Marco Pantani, another cycling champion who died prematurely.
Recovery in Mallorca
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES Hugo Houle
After a stint in Japan and Singapore, where he rode in front of tens of thousands of fans in exhibition criteriums sponsored by the Tour de France organizing company, Houle returned to training in earnest in mid-November. . When answering the call of The Press, he was returning from a first outing in the greater region of Girona, Spain, where Israel-Premier Tech is holding an internship in anticipation of the next season. The first to arrive among the riders, he rode alongside bosses Jean Bélanger and Sylvan Adams. “Morale is good,” assured Houle, who is still awaiting confirmation from the UCI of his team’s relegation to the second division. “The deadlines are approaching, we should have some news. Actions were taken by Sylvan, who commissioned a law firm, but I have no idea where the file is. If all goes according to plan, the 32-year-old will return to competition in the Mallorca Challenge at the end of January.
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