When Quebecer Hugo Houle crossed the finish line on Tuesday well before his competitors, during the 16e stage of the Tour de France, some of the loudest cheers undoubtedly came from Sainte-Perpétue, Quebec.
The peaceful village of less than 1000 inhabitants, consisting of a few streets surrounded by dairy farms and cornfields, seems unlikely to form a great cycling star.
But hours after Houle became the first Canadian since 1988 to win a stage in one of the world’s most prestigious cycling races, no one in his hometown, which sits halfway between Quebec City and Montreal, n seemed the least bit surprised.
family history
In the entrance hall of a seniors’ residence, someone shouted “Congratulations, grandma!” to Gisèle Proulx, 88, whose eyes filled with tears of joy every time she was told about her 31-year-old grandson.
“His dream has come true,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. He had been aiming for these things for a long time. »
Mme Proulx remembers Houle riding a tricycle since he was little, adding that he even used to ride a bike in the winter. Her parents, Yvon Houle and Diane Allard, are passionate cyclists, and Mme Proulx also rode a bike, although she said she preferred a scooter these days.
She mentioned that although her grandson never liked school—and a teacher once told him he would “never do anything right”—she never doubted him .
“He was working pretty hard and thinking, ‘I’m capable, I’m capable.’ In the end, his dream came true, and I think he’s very happy,” said Gisèle Proulx.
On a main street lined with quaint cottages, patrons who stopped at an ice cream counter remember Hugo Houle as a determined, goal-driven kid from a sport-loving family. A former neighbor, Carole Neault, remembered Houle as fun and a bit cheeky — in a good way, she was quick to add. But when it came to sports, “he never took it lightly,” she added.
“It’s a great pride to have Hugo to represent us,” she said. A Quebecer who has just shone in the Tour de France, wow. »
Joanie Côté, who attended school with Hugo Houle, believes his perseverance is what sets him apart. She also says she believes he became driven to even greater heights after the death of his younger brother, Pierrik, in December 2012, who was hit by an impaired driver while jogging. He was 19 years old.
Joanie Côté and Carole Neault said Pierrik’s death deeply affected the tight-knit community and sparked the organization of marches against drunk driving.
“He wanted to surpass himself because his brother couldn’t do it. I think it marked his career, ”explained M.me Side.
“Winning for my brother”
As he crossed the finish line in France on Tuesday, Houle pointed to the sky, before dedicating his historic victory to his younger brother.
“I had a dream: to win the stage for my brother, who died when I turned professional. Today, this one is for him,” Houle said after the race.
Sainte-Perpétue mayor Guy Dupuis said the whole village was proud of Houle’s achievement, which made the cyclist the first Quebecer to win a Tour de France stage.
Mr. Dupuis said the village — best known for its annual pig festival — was 95% agricultural. Although many people cycle on its roads, it’s not exactly a development hotbed for world-class athletes.
“He has a strength of character all his own. He darkened. He went to a sport that in our region is not necessarily popular. Road biking is, but not necessarily cycling,” Mayor Dupuis said of Houle.
The mayor mentioned that while watching the video of the competition, his thoughts were with the cyclist’s parents, who “sacrificed a lot” to see their son succeed — and because of Pierrik’s passing.
“I’m sure Pierrik helped Hugo in this stage [du Tour de France] “, did he declare.
Although Houle is established in Europe and his parents recently moved to Drummondville, Mayor Dupuis said he has remained a proud ambassador of his hometown and always comes back to visit.
Mr. Dupuis said that the municipal administration was considering organizing an event to welcome him to his home and could even name something after him.