(Montreal) Nickolas Zukowsky will not yet be at the top of his game when he starts his first Tour of Flanders on Sunday, except that it will not taint his happiness to find himself in the peloton of the 107^e edition of what is the second monument of the season in road cycling.

After three seasons with the American team Human Powered Health, the athlete migrated to the brand new Swiss team Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team. The native of Sainte-Lucie-des-Laurentides therefore remains in a Pro Team level formation, but being part of a European team opens more doors to events on this continent than when he wore the colors of that continent. based in the United States.

When we hear him talk about the Classics, we note that the tone of his voice becomes more cheerful, even though, at the time of the interview last Friday, he had just spent five hours on the bike at the E3 Saxo Classic in the Belgian rain and cold.

A way for him to take the temperature of the water for the first time, both literally and figuratively, on the cobblestones and Belgian bergs.

“I’m lucky enough to do all those big races. It’s completely crazy and compared to other riders, I haven’t been cycling (road) for so long. I didn’t watch the Tour de France when I was young, but since I started the sport, I watch the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix and I dream a bit of doing them. And there it is coming! »

Zukowsky’s start to the season has been put on hold due to a virus contracted after his stint in the Tour of Saudi Arabia. Consequently, he spent the month of February stationary, when he should have accumulated dozens of hours in the saddle. Blood test results indicated his body was fighting a virus, but doctors were unable to identify it.

“It really put me on the tile for two weeks. I was completely down and coming back from that is a nasty process. I am pampered, my team is very professional and they supervise me very well. »

Because there was the trap for the 24-year-old runner: to rush his return to racing in order to prove himself in the eyes of his new employers, but with the risk of falling ill again if he gives too much and too quickly. In a sport where the season runs from January to October, some caution is in order.

However, this did not prevent the athlete from being part of the river breakaway of the race Through Flanders on Wednesday. He ended up being knocked out of the group after holding on for a hundred kilometres.

“My philosophy is that just because I don’t feel my best doesn’t mean I can’t give my best all day. […] It’s never fun to be the highlight. You don’t want to be the hammer anymore in situations like this. And these days, I’m more the highlight every day. »

The best ally

Probably the best person to understand what it is to be a nail is his girlfriend Simone Boilard, a professional cyclist who has also had her share of health problems over the years.

The rider of the French formation St-Michel – Mavic-Auber93 had won bronze in the road race of the 2018 Junior World Championships only to see her sports career put on hold following a succession of health problems. . Her return to the professional peloton last year went well and, even if she could have been promoted to World Team level, she made the choice to stay in her continental level team in order not to skip the stages.

Zukowsky is in awe when asked to talk about what his wife has overcome.

“We are so lucky to have each other! We are far from the family and friends we have in Quebec. It’s not always easy, but being together is so much more, he says. She, she definitely had it harder in her young career and I helped her as best I could. These days, it was less easy (for me) and she was there to help me. I consider myself extremely lucky! »

The model student

About ten years old, Zukowsky first learned his cycling skills on mountain bike trails. His former coach at the Club des 2 Vals, Serge Desrosiers, supervised him at the turn of the 2010s in the Laurentians.

“Nick was a model student. He put a lot of emphasis on the process and on his personal progress, much more than on the results”, recalls the man who was at the head of the Quebec mountain bike team until last summer and who is not surprised to see that his former protege will be at the start of the Tour of Flanders on Sunday.

“Athletes with a good attitude are able to handle things better and do them for the right reasons. […] Nickolas has always had his feet on the ground. All the time. He was attentive and analytical. Being an athlete is a whole thing: you need talent, a head, attitude, perseverance and resilience. And Nick, he was always resilient and patient. »

To stay in the school theme, the races of the next two weeks are announced more like courses rather than exams for Nickolas Zukowsky. He will have to learn to position himself well in the peloton before the key sectors, withstand the violent efforts on the climbs where the grip is not optimal and drive at high speed in a relaxed manner on the cobblestones.

The cyclist is well aware of this.

“It’s such an important experience for years to come. »

On the eve of his most important races of the season – the Tour of Flanders on Sunday and Paris-Roubaix the following week – Guillaume Boivin has finally found his legs and his spirits.

The Quebec cyclist achieved one of his best performances in two years, finishing ninth in the classic Through Flanders, a World Tour level event won by Frenchman Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma), Wednesday, in Belgium.

“It’s been at least a year, if not more, that I haven’t had fun like that,” Boivin said an hour after the finish. “Let me tell you, it feels good. »

Fresh out of the Tour of Catalonia on Sunday in Barcelona, ​​the Israel-Premier Tech rider only decided the day before to take the start of what the Dutch call Dwars door Vlaanderen, where he had finished 29^e on its first attempt in 2012 under the colors of SpiderTech.

While fellow countryman Nickolas Zukowsky (Q36.5) slipped into a six-man breakaway, Boivin was stuck behind a crash by Belgian champion Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quick Step) on the Berg Ten Houte, a 70km climb of arrival. The peloton then began to split according to the attacks.

“I had to step down. I managed to get in despite everything, but I really made a huge effort to get there. That’s when I realized I had really good legs, but it cost me dearly. »

Boivin therefore found himself in the selection of around forty riders who could still compete for victory on arrival in Waregem after 183.7 km.

“I had the legs to stay in front. It had been a while since I had been in this situation. I have to trust myself and tell myself that I have the legs to even attack or follow the attacks in the bumps. »

Zukowsky, who finished 48^ewas caught after 116 km in a breakaway, but two of his companions resisted until the end: the powerful Norwegian Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X, 27^e) and the indestructible Spaniard Oier Lazkano (Movistar). He found the energy to settle the peloton’s sprint after 166 km in the breakaway, including the last end alone with Kristoff. Phenomenal.

4 km from the line, Laporte extricated himself from a group of counter-attackers to go alone towards the finish, 15 seconds before Lazkano. After receiving the gift of victory from his teammate Wout van Aert three days earlier at Ghent-Wevelgem, the Frenchman has provided Jumbo-Visma with a fifth success on the cobbled classics since the start of the year.

The American Neilson Powless (EF) completed the podium at the same time. The Belgian Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin) had to settle for the sprint for fourth place.

Despite suboptimal positioning at the red flame which caused him to catch some wind, Boivin gritted his teeth to climb to ninth place, his best result in a WorldTour race since finishing at the same position in Paris-Roubaix in October 2021.

“It could have been a little better. I might have been able to get one more place by being a little smarter. It only remains with Philipsens, [Mads] Pedersen, [Davide] ballerina, [Arnaud] From Lie, it might take me a little longer and a little harder run if I want to have a chance against these guys. »

This result is a huge relief for Boivin who had a last year of little misery where he was in turn affected by back pain, the flu and COVID-19. Called at the last minute, he dragged himself during his second Tour de France.

The three-time Canadian champion had a rough start to the season when he contracted COVID-19 again after playing Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne in late February.

On the floor for ten days, he had to give up Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo. His participation in the Tour of Catalonia, where he put himself at the service of his friend Michael Woods (6^e), allowed him to regain his form.

Even if he was only entitled to two days off, he was happy to have answered the call for Through Flanders.

“I don’t have a great track record and top 10s in one-day WorldTour races, it doesn’t come every week in my case. I will savor. Above all, it gives me great confidence for the two monuments that are coming. »

After giving up the E3 Grand Prix and Ghent-Wevelgem, Hugo Houle finished 87^e of Through Flanders, 3 min 38 s from the winner. He will meet his teammate Boivin on Sunday at the Tour of Flanders, where he will be in his 10^e participation.

On the eve of his most important races of the season – the Tour of Flanders on Sunday and Paris-Roubaix the following week – Guillaume Boivin has finally found his legs and his spirits.

The Quebec cyclist achieved one of his best performances in two years, finishing ninth in the classic Through Flanders, a World Tour level event won by Frenchman Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma), Wednesday, in Belgium.

“It’s been at least a year, if not more, since I’ve had fun like that,” Boivin said an hour after the finish. “Let me tell you, it feels good. »

Fresh out of the Tour of Catalonia on Sunday in Barcelona, ​​the Israel-Premier Tech rider only decided the day before to take the start of what the Dutch call Dwars door Vlaanderen, where he had finished 29^e on its first attempt in 2012 under the colors of SpiderTech.

As fellow countryman Nickolas Zukowsky (Q36.5) slipped into a six-man breakaway, Boivin was stuck behind a crash by Belgian champion Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quick Step) on the Berg Ten Houte, a 70km climb of arrival. The peloton then began to split according to the attacks.

“I had to step down. I managed to get in despite everything, but I really made a huge effort to get there. That’s when I realized I had really good legs, but it cost me dearly. »

Boivin therefore found himself in the selection of around forty riders who could still compete for victory on arrival in Waregem after 183.7 km.

Zukowsky, who finished 48^ewas caught after 116 km in a breakaway, but two of his companions resisted until the end: the powerful Norwegian Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X, 27^e) and the indestructible Spaniard Oier Lazkano (Movistar). He found the energy to settle the peloton’s sprint after 166 km in the breakaway, including the last end alone with Kristoff. Phenomenal.

4 km from the line, Laporte extricated himself from a group of counter-attackers to go alone towards the finish, 15 seconds before Lazkano. After receiving the gift of victory from his teammate Wout van Aert three days earlier in Ghent-Wevelgem, the Frenchman has provided Jumbo-Visma with a fifth success on the cobbled classics since the start of the year.

The American Neilson Powless (EF) completed the podium at the same time. The Belgian Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin) had to settle for the sprint for fourth place.

Despite suboptimal positioning at the red flame which caused him to catch some wind, Boivin gritted his teeth to climb to ninth place, his best result in a WorldTour race since finishing at the same position in Paris-Roubaix in October 2021.

“It could have been a little better. I might have been able to get one more place by being a little smarter. It only remains with Philipsens, [Mads] Pedersen, [Davide] ballerina, [Arnaud] From Lie, it might take me a little longer and a little harder run if I want to have a chance against these guys. »

“I will savor”

This result is a huge relief for Boivin, who had a last year of little misery where he was in turn affected by back pain, the flu and COVID-19. Called at the last minute, he dragged himself during his second Tour de France.

The three-time Canadian champion had a rough start to the season when he contracted COVID-19 again after playing Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne in late February.

On the floor for ten days, he had to give up Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo. His participation in the Tour of Catalonia, where he put himself at the service of his friend Michael Woods (6^e), allowed him to regain his form.

Even if he was only entitled to two days off, he was happy to have answered the call for Through Flanders.

“I don’t have a great track record and top 10 in one-day WorldTour races, it doesn’t come every week in my case. I will savor. Above all, it gives me great confidence for the two monuments that are coming. »

After giving up the E3 Grand Prix and Ghent-Wevelgem, Hugo Houle finished 87^e of Through Flanders, 3 min 38 s from the winner. He will meet his teammate Boivin on Sunday at the Tour of Flanders, where he will be in his 10^e participation.