From defense to attack

After playing hockey up to the semi-professional level, soccer at a very high level, and sacrificing his joints on the altar of CrossFit, Alex Petit landed in cycling with the same determination that drives him every time he immerses himself in a sport. Meet a new member of the Cartel who doesn't compromise.

Alex Petit has what it takes to succeed in any sport. Skill. Natural talent. But above all, he has iron discipline. "I listen to everything my coach tells me, I follow the training program. I love the process as much as the result," he explains.

After joining Cartel's café rides at the beginning of the summer, the 33-year-old commercial insurance broker quickly rose from the back of the pack to the front. "I really didn't think I would improve so quickly," he says. When I do something, I can't do it halfway. I need to push myself, to feel like I'm at the top of my game. Spending the summer with Bruno and the guys allowed me to progress quickly, to study what Bruno was doing on his bike, how he managed his energy, how he worked. I also received a lot of advice. I sincerely believe that I wouldn't be where I am today without him and the other guys."

A rich sporting heritage 
"I was born into a family of hockey players," says Alex. "My uncle played in the National Hockey League for 18 years, and my father played at the university level. I've always played sports, mainly soccer and hockey, reaching semi-professional level in the latter. Through these sports, I developed a passion for training, which led me to take up running, cycling, and a few CrossFit competitions before turning to cycling full-time."

Determined to devote his time and energy to it, he first arrived at Cartel with some apprehension. "In my mind, it was a closed environment, and I felt a little awkward when I got there. But I was looking for a coach, and Bruno had come highly recommended."

He starts out with rides accessible rides (coffee rides), then gets invited to the grueling team training sessions. He does admirably well. Alex finds himself in a much friendlier environment than he had imagined, while discovering a talent for the sport he loves. 

"It's not just my cycling performance that makes me happy," he says. "I'm happy with the group of friends I've made. They're people who take the sport seriously but also know how to have fun outside of it. There's a kind of family spirit at Cartel; friendship is clearly important to them."

Race schedule

After cutting his teeth in a few regional races, Alex is looking forward to a full racing season next year, proudly wearing the Cartel colors.

Despite his imposing physique, he is far from intimidated by the smaller players in the team: he is a powerhouse. "At the same time, I'm discovering the tactical side of the game and I know that I'll sometimes have to sacrifice myself for the team, but I understand that mindset. I was a defenseman in hockey, I didn't score many goals. I know that statistics don't tell the whole story." 

Then, beyond the competitive aspect, he finds in his new passion a world apart from the world. "When I'm on my bike, I feel like my stress melts away, my problems fade away. I've always been someone who seeks out feelings in life; I like to feel like I'm pushing the machine to its limits. With cycling, I get that feeling. I felt that cycling was going to give me what I had perhaps always been looking for in sport. But the surprise, I repeat, is that I didn't expect to find such an incredible community."