178.5 km to cover
Thirty-six or thirty-nine teeth? Hugo Houle wondered what small tray he would use before the 16e stage of the Tour de France, July 19.
The last two kilometers of the Mur de Péguère, with passages at 16% and 18%, made him lean towards the 36-tooth to benefit from a more flexible pedal stroke in the very steep.
But was it worth bothering the mechanics of Israel Premier Tech to make such a change? Eventually, he opted for the status quo and the 39-tooth.
“I said to myself: if I am not able to pass with the 39, [ça voudra dire] that I will not play for the win. So I will drive slower! »
He didn’t think so well to say…
The day after the third day of rest, Houle showed up with great confidence on the starting line in Carcassonne for this first Pyrenean stage. Four days earlier he had finished third after a full day leading the race. With his teammate Michael Woods, he had the mandate to slip into the breakaway.
173.6 km to cover
The “blow” went faster and easier than he had expected. So much so that he almost missed it…
“Let’s say it was time for me to go. It’s kind of part of the game. There are so many attacks that at some point, you go to the feeling and you wait. I felt it was the last chance, otherwise it would be too hard to come back. »
The Quebec cyclist was therefore one of the last to join the group of 28 riders, including several renowned ones, starting with the green jersey Wout van Aert, who was there to look after the interests of the yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard.
64.7 km to cover
With the majority of the teams represented, the leading group worked well and gave themselves a priority of just over eight minutes at the foot of the first of the two main climbs, the Port de Lers (11.4 km at 6 .7%).
A first selection took place among the leaders under the impetus of the Italian climber Damiano Caruso. Michael Woods was quick to react, a perfect scenario for Houle.
“It allowed me to smooth out my effort a bit. I was just following guys who had better come back like van Aert or [Aleksandr] Vlasov. I was just doing my best to stay in line with those guys who were up front. It was encouraging. »
53.5 km to cover
At the top of the Port de Lers, where a supporter was waving a small Canadian flag, there were only seven in the lead: Woods, Caruso, van Aert, Michael Storer, the polka dot jersey Simon Geschke as well as the Americans Brandon McNulty and Matteo Jorgenson.
Houle rocked with a delay of 24 seconds in the company of Gorka Izagirre, his ex-teammate at Astana, and Vlasov, 11e in the overall standings at that time.
The Quebecer immediately pressed the button on his headset to find out if he had permission to come back to the leaders, at the risk of bringing Vlasov back and causing the peloton, which was clocking in at seven minutes, to react.
Lacking an answer, Houle took it upon himself to dive deep into the technical and winding descent. “Finally, I went so fast that I dropped them both, which is surprising. I was concentrated to the max and it was the gas leaning against the bottom. I took as many risks as I was comfortable with. »
38.9 km to cover
Returning to the breakaway a little before the bottom of the 13 km descent, Houle did not lag behind. Two or three stints and he fled, helped by Woods, on his wheel, who deliberately left a gap before shouting into his earpiece: “Go, go, go! »
“There was a little wavering that allowed me to get out almost instantly. I looked under my arm because I couldn’t understand why the guys weren’t passing their stints. I saw that there were about fifteen meters. I said to myself: I’m going to push hard, so there won’t be any foolishness and Mike won’t need to roll. They will catch me in the bump, especially since I was on the limit on the other climb. Basically, they were as surprised as I was and they gave me 45 seconds…”
PHOTO DANIEL COLE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hugo Houle
36.7 km to cover
Houle’s victory was played out in the Mur de Péguère, a first category pass of 9.3 km at 7.9%. With a lead of 28 seconds at the foot, he had to be especially wary of the last two terminals, where the slope “not possible” took on the appearance of a road for goats.
“It was kind of what I had in mind since the start of the climb. At the beginning, I dosed my effort at a level that I knew I could hold for the duration of the climb. The two-kilometer steep, I will do it with motivation, with all that I have left of strength…
At the Tour, with the motorcycles and the marshal’s red car following you, the cameras, everyone sees that you are putting on a performance. You are judged on that, it is better to give your 110%… It is not every day that you are alone in front in a key stage.
Hugo Houle
6km from the summit, Houle received crucial supplies from an Israel Premier Tech staff member on another scorching day. Along with a can of water and two gels, he got an ice pack which he immediately slipped onto the back of his jersey collar.
Nicolas Roche, ex-pro and analyst for FloBikes who had just ridden this pass, judged that “it’s too hard for him today”. “When they get to the really steep ramps, the climbers in this group are going to be able to bridge. But I wouldn’t give him too much time…”
Later, Roche also mentioned that the point guard was “probably rolling a 36-tooth”… Well no…
“The 39, it forced me to keep a high pace to be able to turn my legs. With the gear I had, I focused on turning my legs as fast as I could. »
27.2 km to cover
At the top, at an altitude of 1375 m, Houle held a 26-second priority over Jorgenson and Woods, who easily grabbed onto the young American’s wheel, a matter of discouraging him… Victory held out its arms to the Quebecer.
PHOTO ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
Hugo Houle
Houle had studied the long descent, rather rolling and therefore favorable to his qualities as a time trialist.
“I said to myself: if I have 30 seconds at the top, there really is something to play for. From there, I knew it was a battle between him and me. […] It was going to be a good challenge, but since it was my chance to win a stage, I was all the more motivated. It gave me a little more strength. »
He had a little scare between the 20e and the 10e kilometer.
There, I was a little worried because my nutrition was limited. I said to myself: Oh! I still have a little bit left, there… My legs were a little tight, I was close to having cramps. But it passed.
Hugo Houle
Houle had kept his lead when Jorgenson crashed into the rocky asphalt being too greedy on a left turn halfway through the descent.
He did not understand when his sporting director Steve Bauer told him of Jorgenson’s fall. He deduced it when the slate told him that his closest pursuer was now named Woods.
Somehow, Houle would have been able to resist a potential return from Jorgenson.
“I’ve been alone for 30 km, I’m doing something I never imagined. In the last 10 kilometers, I didn’t really have any more pain. »
1 km to go
The only reason he kept pressing the pedals so hard at 58 km/h was the fear of a puncture. With a little over a minute ahead of the Woods and Jorgenson duo, who had come back to the Canadian, he would have had time for a change of bike.
Bauer, the only Canadian winner of a Tour stage so far, encouraged him to be careful in the last kilometer: “No mistakes, you got this in the bag! »
The motorcycle camera approached the future winner, who grabbed the cross he wears around his neck in memory of his late brother Pierrik, to whom Hugo dedicated his victory.
“It happened quite naturally, I didn’t have time to think about anything. From the moment I take out my cross, that’s really when I understand that I’m going to win. »
0 km to go
Just before crossing the line, Houle raised his finger to the sky in remembrance of his brother. He then fell into the arms of his longtime caretaker, Jon Adams.
He received a hug from Woods, who finished third behind Frenchman Valentin Madouas. Later, near the podium, he will see his friends Antoine Duchesne and Guillaume Boivin, with whom he celebrated this first for a Quebec cyclist.
PHOTO THIBAULT CAMUS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hugo Houle at the finish line in Foix
“The team had a difficult season. It was also a way to bring some happiness and to thank the guys from our region who invest in cycling and share this same passion. It motivates me to work even harder, for the feeling of belonging beyond my personal interests. »
On international television, Houle, in tears, told his very simple and at the same time moving story, that of a little guy from Sainte-Perpétue who wanted to follow his dream to honor his brother.