Yvan Martineau is everywhere that talks about cycling: he hosts Culture Vélo on TVA and TVA Sports, is a sports columnist for Salut, Bonjour, and contributes to Espaces outdoor magazine.
Interview with this cycling enthusiast who logs nearly 5,000 km per year on his bike.
Where does your passion for cycling come from?
I've been cycling all my life. When I was young, I did a lot of camping with my family, and I often cycled on the trails around the campsites. At 14, I decided to bike from Montreal to Niagara. The trip confirmed my love for cycling.
What motivates you to get on your bike?
The primary pleasure is being with a group and traveling. I like people, that's why I also guide bike tours.
Host, speaker, guide, spokesperson for the upcoming Montreal and Quebec Bike Shows, how do you balance all that?
I worked hard to try and make a living cycling, and that's what I do. TV occupies me for about 6 months a year. The other 6 months, I take advantage of doing what I love.
Do you follow a specific training regimen each week?
No! I've never had a coach. I'm really a cyclist and a cycle tourist. I cycle 12 months a year. I need to be outdoors. If I have the choice between indoor spinning or taking my old bike with studded tires, I'll go play outside! Only very bad weather will push me to train indoors.
Do you have a favorite bike?
My wife and I share a car, but I have 12 bikes! I have one for cycle touring , one for mountain biking , a cyclocross bike, three road bikes , two old rusty city bikes that spend their days outside, etc. I'm attached to each bike; I've never sold any of them. I continue to use them depending on the circumstances. I'm like a child: if I could have a bike for every day of the month, I'd be very happy.
What are your favorite playgrounds?
I'm a Montrealer, and for someone like me who loves the outdoors and will live in the region when I retire, I find that we are extremely privileged with Mont-Royal, the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit, the Lachine Canal path, Sainte-Hélène and Notre-Dame islands. Without leaving the island, you can do hills, flats, nature along the river, you can ride in winter with a mountain bike. Otherwise, there's the Véloroute des Bleuets in Lac Saint-Jean, of which I am an ambassador.
Of all your expeditions, which experience left the biggest mark on you?
I've had some extraordinary filming experiences, like this stage of the Tour de France open to amateurs. I also cycled the Alsace wine route, but above all that, I really enjoy guiding groups in Cuba or Arizona and seeing the joy of people discovering a new destination. I thrive on seeing people get excited and thrilled.
Do you have any new trips planned?
I have 5 or 6 guided bike trips with the agency Sur la route until next spring. For now, in Utah, the great national parks, in Arizona, Cuba, and Las Vegas. I keep people informed on my Facebook page or my website. If they're interested, I invite them to join me.
A new challenge?
For the past three years, my shows have been more in Quebec, but I would like to get back on the adventure road. I would like to host another series of shows across France or Asia.
https://fr-ca.facebook.com/YvanMartineau
