12,500 km, a bit of madness and lots of ice cream

The size and complexity of this ultracycling race is borderline in innocence.

He will cross Canada for about 12,500 km, from the Yukon to Saint-Jean (Newfoundland and Labrador). Ten provinces, one territory and six time zones.

Add to that the total descent of 95,000 m, equivalent to 11 Mount Everest (or 750 climbs of the Camillien-Houde route, for climbers on Sunday).

And as if that wasn’t enough, it’s all done in complete autonomy: Henri Do carries all his camping and mechanical equipment and his clothes. His bike is 22 kg (48 lb) when loaded and weighed.

Race rules allow him to use public services, such as grocery stores and convenience stores, but Do is not allowed outside assistance. He will also be able to make two private stops on his trip, including one we think will take a hot bath at his home in Montreal.

The target time to complete this project? This is a good question.

Because this is the first edition of the race, and it’s the longest race in the world, there’s no real time reference, Henri Do pointed out. But the winners of the TransAmerica race, which is 7000 km, typically do so in 16-18 days with an average of 390 km per day. Isn’t it realistic to double the same rate? I don’t know, but I’ll try and see how I feel.

I have two months off, technically I’m working on August 1, if I can do it in 30-40 days, it will be a success for me. Pedal between 350 and 415 km per day.

The race begins at nearly 3,000 km stretch in the Yukon forest. A passage that is particularly feared by the main interested party.

The end that scares me the most is at the beginning of the career, Do explains. From Whitehorse to Vancouver, nothing really: not very networked, scattered refueling points. I can easily do 100-120 km without crossing anything.

” There is also the fact that there is a lot of wildlife in this area. I might encounter bears or grizzly bears on the way, let’s just say I don’t have much experience with this type of “encounter”. I have to adapt. “

Ironically, Do will be alone at the starting line on June 12 at Whitehorse. There should have been five participants in the race, but the other four athletes have withdrawn in recent weeks.

Another proof of its difficulty Odyssey Canadian.

The strength of mind

Known to the community of cyclists in Quebec, this business intelligence advisor was not at his first rodeo.

In June 2021, to mark the summer solstice, Henri Do traveled from Montreal to Marsoui, in Gaspésie, in 24 hours.

To give an idea of ​​the success, the 35-year-old athlete covered 800 km at an average speed of 33 km/h, a speed that many novice cyclists would dream of.

His roster also includes the Gaspésie tour in the winter, the Montreal-Toronto route, as well as the Ultra Défi, a race of over 1000 km (which he won in 2020 in one hour. respected of 46 hours 27 minutes).

His love of this type of sporting challenge began with triathlon in 2012. A bicycle accident became the turning point in his ultra-sports career.

I was hit by a car 10 days before my second Ironman. On the South Shore, in Saint-Rémi, a car stopped me and I passed the hood, he recalled. I had a laceration in the knee, I could not walk.

Far from neglecting him with his bad luck, Henri Do used 10 days to meet with health specialists and return his bike.

To everyone’s surprise, he was there at the starting line on D-Day.

I got to the beginning, I did all the steps one by one […] Eventually I did all three sports, finished the Ironman, and even beat my time last year by almost 15 minutes.

” It was there that I realized that our bodies are more powerful than we think. “

Gastronomy at the convenience store

In addition to his sporting exploits that are beyond comprehension, Henri Do stands out for the originality and playful way in which he approaches his challenges.

We immediately think of his diet, which will surprise many sports nutrition experts.

In fact, don’t talk to Do about having his jersey pockets full of energy bars and gels. The cyclist is known for his nutrition based on one thing: the happiness it brings him.

I think you need to give your body what it wants to eat. I often stop at convenience stores, I walk around the hallways and I go there by feeling, he explains. It could be cheese, a bag of crisps or, these days, cold pizza. The important thing is to be able to ingest and digest it.

Her love of ice cream has become her trademark. Last winter, in partnership with a local dairy, Do cycled 280 kilometers at -20 degrees to deliver ice cream.

If I have to see a nutritionist, I’m definitely the worst patient, I eat anything, he says, laughing. In ultra challenges, the mental aspect is even more important than the physical aspect. Me, ice cream, it makes me happy, I see it as an advantage.

When he set off on Sunday, Henri Do admitted he would have a few ice cream stops in mind for his cross-Canadian trip. That and the possibility of encountering a bear.