(Copenhagen) The sun sets late in the summer in Denmark. It was past 8:30 p.m. when Hugo Houle came to sit on the front terrace of his hotel in Copenhagen on Tuesday. He had to change places to hide from the rays that blinded him.
Two tables away, Steve Bauer was having a beer with a Canadian massage therapist and two public relations experts from the Israel-Premier Tech team. The mechanics pampered the bikes in the parking lot.
A few hours earlier, Houle did like all Copenhageners: he took one of the countless cycle paths to stretch his legs. But no cargo bike for him. Rather a brand new time trial racing car that he will test on Friday at the first stage of the Tour de France.
Directly from the hotel, he left along the shores of the island of Amager, where the airport is located. About thirty kilometers round trip, entirely on a cycle path.
I have two new bikes. I test the material. I want to make sure everything is in place.
Hugo Houle
For the 24e time, the big start of the Tour de France will therefore be given abroad – a very profitable adventure for the organizer ASO. Denmark, which reportedly paid some 90 million crowns (C$16.384 million) to host it, is the most northern destination in history.
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The event will begin on Friday with a 13.2 km time trial, where Houle will have absolutely no pretensions. Two stages will follow on the road, Saturday and Sunday, promised to the big riders and where the wind is likely to be the decisive factor.
“The objective of the first week will be to stay on the bike, summed up the 31-year-old Quebecer. The roads are exposed, there is wind, there is sea, there are canals. It can lead to curbs. But it doesn’t matter: you would put a straight line in the Tour de France and half the peloton would manage to pull themselves to the ground! The stakes are so huge. The runners are more nervous, they take risks. »
In great form
As often, his mission will be to protect Jakob Fuglsang, one of the local heroes. Theoretically, the 2016 Olympic vice-champion is not aiming for the general classification… but still a little. To be revisited after the first week, when the peloton will have returned to the north of France.
From there, Houle will find rougher ground to express himself and a bit more freedom. At least he hopes so. On his fourth consecutive Tour, he feels he is holding one of his best forms ever. He recovered well from the Tour de Suisse (15e), where he went flat for Fuglsang (3e).
The Tour is the time of year to shine. We are all aware of the issue. For me, it’s more of a motivation. I’m ready, my homework is done, I can’t wait to go.
Hugo Houle
Houle shows aloud his desire to sign a first victory in Europe. He therefore wants to slip into breakaways in the stages with a significant drop.
“That remains my goal for this year or my career in general. It’s my ultimate dream: to finish a stage in the Tour de France. »
It would have an even more special taste with Israel-Premier Tech, a team with a strong Quebec and Canadian flavor.
Owner Sylvan Adams is a Montrealer, now based in Israel, who made his fortune in real estate. Premier Tech is a multinational from Rivière-du-Loup. Jean Bélanger, its majority shareholder, has become a friend. Steve Bauer, legend of Canadian cycling, former yellow jersey in the Tour, is one of the three sports directors.
PHOTO SIMON DROUIN, THE PRESS Steve Bauer and Hugo Houle
There are also friends like Michael Woods, who landed at the hotel a little later with the rest of the contingent living in Andorra or Girona, near Barcelona. The Ontario climber will also be aiming for a stage victory.
Without forgetting Chris Froome, one of the rare quadruple winners, who is still trying to get closer to his level of yesteryear three years after his terrible fall at the Dauphiné.
“When I was riding for SpiderTech, I never imagined doing the Tour de France,” said Houle. There, I do it with a team that is practically from home and with people that we know. It is still exceptional. Personally, it motivates me to be even better and to give the maximum for a team to which I am much more attached. »
With face uncovered
Romain Bardet was surprised on Twitter to have to rub shoulders in the crowded plane with “90%” of passengers who were not wearing the mask. “First stress test,” wrote the Frenchman from DSM training. In our flight between Amsterdam and Copenhagen, the Frenchman Bryan Coquard, from Cofidis, and the Italian Fabio Felline, from Astana, had it on their noses. Hugo Houle, he noticed a certain relaxation between Nice and the capital of Denmark. “Half of the runners didn’t have one on the plane. I saw very well-known runners, who are there for the general, who did not wear one. “With the resurgence of cases in Europe and during the Tour de Suisse, the Quebecer is not taking any risks: he kept his N95 mask for the interview which took place outside. The starters of the Tour de France will all have to undergo a PCR test on Wednesday, before the official presentation in the evening at Tivoli Park.
Patience
The Montreal-Amsterdam-Copenhagen trip was not easy: 26 hours door to door, the same time to get to Tokyo or Beijing for the Olympic Games. As at Montreal-Trudeau, Schiphol International Airport in Amsterdam has been particularly affected by the shortage of staff since the post-pandemic recovery. The queues at European customs were impressive on Tuesday. With a computer problem at KLM, it was the perfect storm. Fortunately, Hugo Houle is a patient guy.
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