Gravelle Montréalaise in pictures, part 2 of 2

With just a few days left before the not-so-bad transition to 2021, we're offering one last look back at our excellent 2020 gravel biking season. This is part 2 of 2 in a retrospective on the photo contest launched at the beginning of last summer by MTL Gravelle. The organizers invited all members to submit their best photo, one that perfectly captured both the spirit of adventure cycling and Montreal. No fewer than thirty submissions kept the Facebook group buzzing for a few weeks.

So, what's on the agenda in this blog post: a little more about the top participants in this year's competition, their cycling routes, their favorite spots, and/or their photo concepts. In no particular order, let's get started!

Sébastien Jacquet

Photo credit: Sébastien Jacquet

Sébastien caused a sensation with a photo that's almost an optical illusion! It has a decidedly urban vibe, complete with street art , but he also presents a bicycle with an interesting twist. Can you guess the model?

“[It’s a] piece of graffiti I came across on a viaduct along the bike path between Laval and Montreal. The drawing immediately reminded me of a Banksy piece! I took the liberty of using it, adding my bike to it. The artwork takes on even more meaning when you know that we were in the middle of the spring lockdown due to COVID-19… ”

For those of us who aren't nerds, the reference comes from the mask worn by the Olympian here; a typical mask of the doctors who once fought the plague on the field!

“Finally, I ride a modified Rocky Mountain RC-70 [Editor's note: So, a drop-bar conversion of a performance hybrid!!!] which I mainly ride on the gravel roads of the Laurentians, but also sometimes on paved roads when necessary! ” - SJ

Rahim Kandjy

Photo credit: Rahim Kandjy

The scene presented by Rahim is another typically Montreal one… Not necessarily for the right reasons, though! So, tell us everything, Rahim:

“ I am Rahim Kandjy, a kinesiologist. My passion for cycling has followed many paths, whether as a sporting activity, an alternative means of transportation, or, more recently, as an adventure companion.

I took this photo during one of my first bike rides of spring, before the season had even started for many people! At that moment, I may have had the bike paths almost entirely to myself, but… I unfortunately learned the hard way that the locks were still closed!

I had to overcome several obstacles before being forced to turn back in sub-zero temperatures. Luckily that  I was wearing two pairs of socks! Here, I immortalized the fateful moment, just before turning back. - RK

Ah! Interesting to see a gravel rider out in winter conditions. It seems most of these bikes are more than capable. It could even become a legitimate niche soon… Winter gravel riding? To be continued ;)

Julien Payette-Tessier

Photo credit: Julien Payette-Tessier

Julien joined the race late, but his photo caused quite a stir! And with good reason: it's hard to find a more iconic location or bike – not to mention the near-perfect execution. Yet when we contacted him to find out more, we certainly weren't expecting the following turn of events:

“ Actually, I’m going to confess something. I’m not a real gravel guy! I don’t even have a gravel bike!!! I’m more what you might call …” A roadie .

But let's just say that with work, I've become very interested in gravel bike culture. I'm a photographer, and I specialize in everything related to cycling. The photo I took here [on Mount Royal] was actually for the Dark Matter gravel bike promotional campaign by Argon18 [which is a Montreal brand!]" - JPT

Rémi Lapointe

Photo credit: Rémi Lapointe, in collaboration with François R. Derbas Thibodeau

" So I'm Rémi Lapointe, technical director at Moment Factory. I ride gravel bikes, including bikepacking for exploration, and mountain bikes. My gravel bike (the one in the photo) is a Garneau Garibaldi Prohibition, in carbon. I like gravel biking because it allows me to explore and discover new spots where I wouldn't necessarily go under normal circumstances.

The photo was actually taken near Bromont, towards Sutton. It's one of my favorite spots because there are lots of hills, not many vehicles, and you can connect gravel roads endlessly without ever touching asphalt!

The photo, the road stretching towards the horizon and the mountains, inspired adventure in me. The Photoshop montage [by François] provides a Montreal reference that reminds us that we don't need to go far from the city to find vast expanses of gravel. - RL

Hey there, real ones. A blog by Pierre Gravel.

The author has been passionate about cycling since childhood. A former bike shop worker, he is now finishing his studies in communications. This blog reflects his independent opinion.