After a broken hand, a continental championship title and COVID-19 last month, Pier-André Côté hasn’t had a bad season, but he feels the urgency to score a coup, especially on the Quebec Cycling Grand Prix circuit.
The expression “seesaw” is very appropriate to talk about the eventful journey of the athlete from Saint-Henri-de-Lévis in 2023.
Even though his Human Powered Health team will be gone at the end of this campaign, the 26-year-old athlete still doesn’t have a contract signing to announce elsewhere.
In an interview at the Quai Paquet in Lévis a few days ago, Côté didn’t seem too nervous about the water fountains and the Château Frontenac on the other side of the river.
Pressure
“I made a good living this season. Nothing happens for free. Maybe this is my chance. I’m waiting for news left and right. I don’t think I’ll have any problems finding a job, but you never know. Even if people tell you not to worry, when you have nothing, you stress the same thing,” explains the winner of the Pan American Championships in April in Panama City.
The Israel-Premier Tech team could still sign him, but nothing has been announced regarding this.
Canadian Derek Gee notably made his B team debut before moving up to the World Tour in 2023 and becoming the revelation of the last Giro. Ultimately, the Boivins and Woods reached the Tour de France a little late.
As of August 28th, he is the third Canadian cyclist in the UCI world rankings behind Michael Woods and Derek Gee. Côté still believes in his chances and the return of the two races in Quebec comes at the right time. On this occasion he will wear the colors of the Canadian team.
Realistic and ambitious
“In Quebec it is really realistic to want to do well. In a classic scenario with about forty people at the end, it’s ambitious, but I’m capable of it,” he says.
After a good month of July, COVID-19 unfortunately prevented Côté from taking part in the World Championships in Glasgow last month. “For once, I had my place five months in advance with my Pan American title, so I could prepare. I don’t often have the opportunity to race with Houle and Boivin, but I had no choice,” he said, still a little disappointed.
The life of the athlete
Despite a forced break of a few days, he is proud of his sixth place, achieved on August 19th at Druivenkoers-Overijse, a Belgian category 1.1 race won by Victor Campenaerts. The emerging generation of high-performing cyclists aged 19 to 22 is forcing him to perform better, even though he is a few years older. Despite its cosmopolitan nature, cycling remains somewhat protectionist. European teams rarely come to Canada.
“We don’t have the choice to be good. You are unbelievable. I’m still developing because I haven’t been to Europe for 10 years. The chances are not huge, but for the French teams it is possible. I’m happy in what I do and I’m not ready to be an actuary yet!” concludes the man who completed his studies in this field.
Good news ahead of the cycling Grand Prix: Hugo Houle (Israel-Premier Tech) took third place at the Maryland Classic in Baltimore on Sunday. Pier-André Côté was also in good shape and finished 13thewhile Guillaume Boivin scored the 22nde Rank of the 196.9 km long event. The professional cyclists will arrive in Quebec at the end of the day, on Tuesday, in anticipation of the first race scheduled for Friday.