For several years, Alex Cormier was a high-level cyclist who has since retired from competition but now shares his passion with his 63,000+ Instagram followers. Meet the cyclist-influencer.
Where does your passion for cycling come from?
Alex Cormier: "In 2009, I was on a trip to France with my family, and by chance, we attended a stage of the Tour de France. The speed of the cyclists made me fall in love with the sport. When I came back from the trip, I bought my first bike with the sole aim of becoming a professional cyclist. I rode at a national level. I also spent a semester in Europe to race. Afterward, I had to choose between an international career or marketing studies. I wasn't competitive enough to reach the world level, so I preferred to ride for pleasure. Today, I still ride out of passion."
How does cycling discipline serve you in photography?
A.C.: "When I was younger, I always woke up early to ride before school. I had a lot of discipline. It's the same for photography. Waking up early, making sure I go out to take photos at the right time of day even if the weather isn't good or it's cold, the discipline to endure difficult conditions: I experienced all of that throughout my cycling career."
What about social media?
A.C.: "I use my cycling experiences to post content. If I wake up in the morning to ride and there's a beautiful sunrise, I take advantage of it to make a post. Often, I like to discover new places, places I've never visited before. I almost always have my camera with me when I ride. Sometimes, I really want to leave it at home to fully enjoy the ride , but if I have a photo to take and I don't have it, I know I'll regret it."
What's the essential gear for a cyclist-photographer?
A.C.: "It's a cliché, but safety is the most important thing. You need reflectors or even a headlight, a helmet, and good cycling shorts for comfort. For photography, I have a small bag for my camera and tripod. It's minimalist, but I have the essentials. It also depends on the seasons: in winter, photos are difficult to take, but I do it because it offers a perspective that few people in the world can see or experience in their lives."
You're from the Maritimes, but you now live in Quebec. How do you find the cycling conditions in your "adopted" province?
A.C.: "It's funny because many Quebecers say the roads aren't good and they don't know where to ride. Right now, I'm in New Brunswick because of COVID-19, and you can see that in the Maritimes, it's really worse! I miss the roads in Quebec. You have many more bike paths and cycling infrastructure."
What do you like most about your home region?
A.C.: "It's really the sea that I love. Riding by the water and having the sea air in my face, that's one of the things I missed about the Maritimes and that I don't have in Quebec."
Where do you recommend going to enjoy New Brunswick by bike?
A.C.: "There are beautiful landscapes to ride from north to south in New Brunswick and in my home region, Acadia. But Fundy Bay is my favorite. In Fundy National Park , there are super nice spots with superb, really steep climbs!"
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