Mr Panache
There he is again at the front. Racing ahead with a handful of breakaway riders through the rolling green plains of Abraham, then hurtling down Gilmour Hill, Bruno Langlois is once again where he likes to be. On the attack.
We are at the most recent Quebec City Cycling Grand Prix. Langlois is 39 years old and has participated in the event eight times, whose prestige is no longer in question. Over the years, Sagan, Van Avermaet, Uran, Gilbert, Matthews, Dumoulin, and others have stood on the podium. And even though he is not part of the top-tier teams associated with these big names, but rather a team of national stars invited for the occasion, Langlois is not intimidated.
The veteran has power under the pedal. And he knows the race inside out.
After turning professional in 2005 with Jittery Joe's, the Matane native joined several American teams over the seasons before landing with Canada's Planet Energy in 2009, which later became SpiderTech. In this talent incubator, where François Parisien, Guillaume Boivin, and Hugo Houle developed under the tutelage of Steve Bauer, Bruno had the opportunity to join the big leagues. His sixth place finish in the formidable Tro Bro Leon (also known as the Paris-Roubaix of the Vendée) in 2011 is a testament to both his fitness level and his spirit of initiative.
"I'm not the best sprinter, so if I want to have a chance of winning, I have to take the lead," he explains. Which is what he does, time and time again, tirelessly. And age does not seem to have diminished his ability to manage pain and overcome it to shine among the elite.
In 2017, he led a breakaway group to the podium at the Winston-Salem Classic and finished in the top 10 (8th) overall in the Tour de Beauce, in addition to winning the Quebec championship title. The previous year, he won the Canadian championship.
The athlete, the coach, the entrepreneur, the mentor
After joining Garneau Quebecor in 2012, thanks to his friend Louis Garneau who took him under his wing, the cyclist also became team manager. Taking advantage of this opportunity to complete his bachelor's degree in kinesiology, he took the young athletes on the team under his wing and gave a few rough diamonds their first cut, transforming them into sparkling gems.
Take almost any portrait of Canadian prodigy Mike Woods and you'll find a mention of Bruno. Woods is full of praise for him: the runner-turned-cyclist learned his new trade thanks to his valuable advice.
Thus, between academic knowledge, practical experience, and the difficult task of managing a professional team, Langlois is emerging from his chrysalis.
He always has his sights set on the race. His obsessive attention to detail and his quest for the perfect training protocols now benefit the masses. With his invaluable help, a handful of athletes are developing (Charles-Étienne Chrétien, Laurent Gervais, Frédérique, Juliette, and Mireille Larose-Gingras, etc.), but even more importantly, amateurs find advice and state-of-the-art equipment at his training center to help them refine their fitness.
After launching his company BL Coaching in 2016, he teamed up with Kevin Lynch in 2018 to found Vélo Cartel, which is a shop, workshop, café, and training center all in one.
The success was immediate, thanks to the perfect match between entrepreneurs who shared the same desire to make cycling a way of life rather than just a sport. A pivot around which health, style, and social circles revolve. And Bruno continues to perfect his knowledge, pore over studies, and exchange ideas with leading figures in the profession, such as Guy Thibault, in order to offer customers the best services.
Just seeing him walking around a group during training, offering advice and encouragement, is enough to understand that we are dealing with years of knowledge and, above all, a desire to support others and instill in them the same desire to excel. It's a spark that you either have or you don't. The coach has it. It always puts him at the front of the pack, whether in racing or in business. In everyday life, we would call it determination or courage.
In cycling, we call that panache.