Wikipedia

Hugo Houle

Hugo Houle (born September 27, 1990) is a Canadian professional cyclist, who rides for UCI ProTeam Israel–Premier Tech.[7]

Hugo Houle
Houle at the 2023 Paris–Nice
Personal information
Full nameHugo Houle
Born (1990-09-27) September 27, 1990 (age 34)
Sainte-Perpétue, Canada
Height1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)[1]
Weight72 kg (159 lb; 11 st 5 lb)[1]
Team information
Current teamIsrael–Premier Tech
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Rider typeAll-rounder
Amateur team
2010Canadian National Team
Professional teams
2011–2012SpiderTech–C10
2013–2017Ag2r–La Mondiale
2018–2021Astana[2][3][4][5]
2022–Israel–Premier Tech[6]
Major wins
Grand Tours
Tour de France
1 individual stage (2022)

One-Day Races and Classics

National Time Trial Championships (2015, 2021)
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Men's road bicycle racing
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2015 Toronto Time trial

Career

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Born in Sainte-Perpétue, Centre-du-Québec, Quebec, Houle began racing triathlons, aged 10, alongside his brother, before focussing on cycling at the age of 16.[8] He became acquainted with former professional cyclist Louis Garneau, who provided him with a team and equipment. Between 2008 and 2010, Houle combined cycling with completing a college degree in Québec. After graduating, he signed his first professional contract with Canadian team SpiderTech–C10.[9] Whilst at SpiderTech–C10, Houle won the general classification of the Tour de Québec as well as a stage.[10] He also finished third in the Canadian National Time Trial Championships in 2012, as well as finishing fourth at the under-23 road race at the 2012 UCI Road World Championships.[11]

AG2R La Mondiale (2013–17)

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SpiderTech–C10 disbanded at the end of the 2012 season, and Houle moved to French professional team Ag2r–La Mondiale. During this time, he competed in the Giro d'Italia twice and the Vuelta a España once. He also won the time trial at the Pan American Games and the Canadian National Time Trial Championships in 2015.[11][12] In 2016, he was officially named in Canada's 2016 Olympic team.[13]

Astana (2018–21)

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In 2018, Houle signed for Astana, becoming the first Canadian to sign for the team.[14] He rode his first Tour de France in 2019.[15] In September 2019, he extended his contract with Astana through 2022.[16] He represented Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[5][17]

Israel–Premier Tech

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Despite holding a contract for the 2022 season with the Astana Qazaqstan Team,[16] Houle left the team, and joined Israel–Premier Tech on a three-year contract.[18]

Having featured in the breakaway on the ninth stage of the Tour de France without success, Houle was involved in a successful breakaway four stages later with Mads Pedersen and Fred Wright; Houle led out the sprint in Saint-Étienne, but was beaten to the line by both Pedersen and Wright.[19] Following the final rest day, Houle made his third breakaway of the race on stage 16. With 39 kilometres (24 miles) remaining,[20] Houle opened a gap on the rest of the breakaway and soloed away to win the stage by more than a minute ahead of Valentin Madouas and teammate Michael Woods.[21] This made him only the second Canadian rider to win an individual stage in the Tour de France, after his Israel–Premier Tech directeur sportif Steve Bauer, who won the first stage in 1988.[22] He then followed this up with second place overall, behind Andreas Leknessund, at the Arctic Race of Norway.[23]

Personal life

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Houle's brother, Pierrick, was killed by a drunk driver in 2012 while out running. Since then, Houle has contributed to Opération Nez Rouge (English: Operation Red Nose), a charity which aims to stop drunk-driving on the roads.[24]

Houle dedicated his win in Stage 16 of the 2022 Tour de France to his brother.[21]

Major results

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Source:[25]

2010
1st   Time trial, National Under-23 Road Championships
2011
National Under-23 Road Championships
1st   Road race
1st   Time trial
3rd Overall Tour de Québec
2012
National Road Championships
1st   Under-23 time trial
3rd Time trial
1st   Overall Tour de Québec
1st Stage 3
1st Mountains classification Coupe des nations Ville Saguenay
2nd Overall Tour de Beauce
1st   Young rider classification
4th Road race, UCI Under-23 Road World Championships
2014
2nd Time trial, National Road Championships
2015 (2 pro wins)
1st   Time trial, Pan American Games
1st   Time trial, National Road Championships
2016
2nd Overall Tour de Beauce
2017
5th Overall Boucles de la Mayenne
2018
4th Overall Tour Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle-Aquitaine
8th Overall Danmark Rundt
2019
5th Overall Arctic Race of Norway
2021 (1)
1st   Time trial, National Road Championships
  Combativity award Stage 10 Tour de France
2022 (1)
Tour de France
1st Stage 16
  Combativity award Stage 16
2nd Overall Arctic Race of Norway
2023
3rd Maryland Cycling Classic
8th Overall Étoile de Bessèges

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

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Grand Tour 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
  Giro d'Italia 113 72 — — — — — — — —
  Tour de France — — — — 91 47 66 24 38 50
  Vuelta a España — — 115 — — — — — —
Legend
— Did not compete
DNF Did not finish

References

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  1. ^ a b "Astana - Pro Team". Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Astana Pro Team presented renewed roster for 2019". Astana. Apgrade. 16 December 2018. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Astana Pro Team". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Astana - Premier Tech". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 1 January 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Hugo Houle". Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  6. ^ "Fuglsang, Houle confirmed with Israel Start-Up Nation". cyclingnews.com. 13 October 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  7. ^ "ISRAEL START-UP NATION". UCI. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  8. ^ O'Shea, Sadhbh. "Tour de France unsung heroes: Hugo Houle wants to win a stage in memory of his brother". VeloNews. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  9. ^ "HUGO HOULE". Radio-Canada.ca (in French). Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  10. ^ Piel Côté (29 July 2012). "Hugo Houle l'emporte". Agence QMI (in French). TVA Interactif. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  11. ^ a b "Hugo Houle". ProCyclingStats. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  12. ^ Jones, Robert (25 June 2015). "Houle crowned Canadian time trial champion". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  13. ^ Tozer, Jamie (29 June 2016). "Returning Olympians highlight Canada's cycling team". www.olympic.ca. Canadian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  14. ^ Pioro, Matthew. "Hugo Houle racing with Astana in 2018". Canadian Cycling. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  15. ^ "2019: 106th Tour de France: Start List". ProCyclingStats. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  16. ^ a b Sturney, Rob. "Hugo Houle signs on for three more years with Astana". Canadian Cycling. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  17. ^ "Cycling Road - HOULE Hugo". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 2021-08-28. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  18. ^ Cash, Dane (13 October 2021). "Jakob Fuglsang is headed to Israel Start-Up Nation". CyclingTips. CyclingTips Media Pty Ltd. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  19. ^ Frattini, Kirsten (15 July 2022). "Pedersen jumps from breakaway to win sprint on Tour de France stage 13". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  20. ^ Whittle, Jeremy (19 July 2022). "Hugo Houle dedicates emotional Tour de France stage win to his late brother". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Canada's Hugo Houle dedicates stage win at Tour de France to late brother". Sportsnet. Rogers Sports & Media. The Canadian Press. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  22. ^ Ostanek, Daniel (19 July 2022). "Bauer 'proud' of Houle's first Canadian Tour de France win in 34 years". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  23. ^ Ostanek, Daniel (14 August 2022). "Hugo Houle carries Tour de France form to podium in Arctic Race of Norway". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  24. ^ Gauthier, Vincent. "Hugo Houle roule avec Nez rouge". Le Nouvelliste (in French). Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  25. ^ "Hugo Houle". FirstCycling.com. FirstCycling AS. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
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