Benjamin Chartrand, Cyclist: Untouchable and Immortal

Do you remember that Daniel Bélanger song?

But when I ride my bike
My head’s in the stars and in the void
The wind is soft, I’m hallucinating...
I ride my bike
The night is clear,
The road deserted
I’m invincible,
Untouchable and immortal...

It’s hard to say whether Benjamin Chartrand, the road cyclist from Saint-Zotique, has these lyrics in mind when he rides the tarmac of Quebec and beyond—but the way he talks about cycling, with so much love and conviction, he might very well be untouchable… and immortal. At least until a nasty crash proves otherwise. Yet nothing originally pointed this 20-year-old towards a future competing against some of the world’s best on the roads of New Mexico or Europe.

Like many his age, Benjamin started out in hockey, playing at the Midget level. One day, after missing out on the Midget Espoir team, he turned to cycling—just like that:

“In hockey, there were too many politics,” he explains. “With cycling, you pedal and you get results. Every effort pays off directly.”

A Team Sport on Two Wheels

Those results came quickly. After two years as a cadet (15–16), competing across Quebec, he moved up to the junior category (17–18), where the world slowly opened up to him. But contrary to Bélanger’s lyrics, the road is rarely deserted, and cycling is no solo effort.

Training in Vaudreuil-Soulanges on a quiet Sunday is one thing; racing in Belgium, Germany, or Saguenay in a UCI-sanctioned event is quite another. And despite the individual nature of pedaling, cycling is a team sport:

“I like the hockey mindset,” says Benjamin. “I don’t mind fetching water bottles for teammates. I love seeing a teammate win just as much as leading the pack for the team. That’s what makes cycling a team sport.”

Benjamin has ridden for several teams, including the well-known Équipe Quilicot in Montreal. He’s competed in the Jeux du Québec and in the Tour de l’Abitibi, one of the top international junior competitions. Today, he rides with Transports Lacombe/Devinci, one of the largest amateur teams in Quebec, alongside nine teammates.

“Once you’re part of a team and not just a club, things get serious,” he adds.

Fresh from a 800 km training trip in Cuba, Benjamin clearly prefers the road over the beach.

Is Cycling a Religion?

A typical season for Benjamin involves logging between 15,000 and 20,000 kilometers in training and races, mostly in Quebec and the U.S., but possibly internationally with the Canadian national team. His eyes are set on top performances in UCI races in the U23 category. Highlights include the Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay in May, the Tour de Beauce in June, and the Canadian Cycling Championship in July.

“In Europe, cycling is like hockey here—it’s a religion,” says Benjamin. “In Belgium, people live for it. But in the U.S., it’s more like a party. They may not know the sport well, but it’s a show!”

Bringing the Race Home

Between rides up Mount Rigaud—“one of the best training spots”—and his studies in criminology at the Université de Montréal (possibly leading to criminal law), Benjamin continues to live and breathe cycling.

“There’s no money in it,” he admits. “I’m doing it because I love it. I take it year by year.”

Though his six-hour training rides may puzzle many, Benjamin is carving his place among the few elite cyclists of the region.

“There’s probably some genetics involved—cardio and lung capacity,” he reflects.

So how can Vaudreuil-Soulanges get on the radar of the national cycling scene?

“We need more races. Races generate excitement. Just look at Les Mardis de Lachine—that’s the one I look forward to the most. It’s fast, the crowd is amazing, and there’s energy. They know how to put on a show.”

Don’t be surprised if road bikes and Lycra-clad riders start appearing more frequently in the region. The Centre Multisports plans to take its movement outside.