No doubt in my mind this year, I was going to participate in this event. First because it was the tenth edition and second because everybody that I know who participated told me it was a must so I registered for the 70 km.
Before the event
Registration was relatively easy, and the closer we got to the event, the more information we received via email and Facebook. We apprehended what to expect, including the signage, parking particulars, and sketchy zones. I must admit it reassures people a lot.
The arrival on site
When I arrived in Bromont, the parking lot was starting to fill up but had enough parking space for all the vehicles and the event site was about 500 meters from it so I biked my way.
At the site volunteers greeted us with a big smile and directed us for the registration tables. It took me less than a minute to pick up my number plate which is incredible considering that there were around 1200 people.
The start
There were two starts on Sunday: the 110 km and the 70 km. Cyclists doing the longer ride left 15 minutes earlier than us. Lyne reminded us that the event was not a race and that fun was at the heart of this event. The start was escorted by motorcycles and police cars to pass the village and more dense population. People cheering us when we were passing by was absolutely amazing. All the riders had an enormous smile on their face, visibly pumped to participate in the event.
On course
Once I saw on my GPS that the distance for the course was 68.60 km and 1148m of elevation I knew it would be a day of climbing and paced myself for it. The eastern township has a considerable reputation for D+ gravel roads and it is constantly a pleasure to ride in that area. The course had significant climbs and I was at the limit of my 1×11 set up a few times.Principally, because I did not execute enough elevation in my riding this summer and it clearly showed in the event and visibly I was not alone.
By the beauty of the scenery and the variety of gravel types, the roads we have taken have been beyond spectacular. Let’s not forget some of the magnificent architecture of some houses.
The last few kilometers of the course was on the grass for a more cyclocross type of riding. In all those terrain types, the Vittoria Terreno mix tires performed an excellent job.
Feed zones
For my distance, we had two feed zones with water, candies, nuts and even a small chocolate shooter with a kind of wine in it at the last stop. I had brought enough bars and electrolytes in my Camelbak but I replenished it with water at the last one.
Volunteers
Throughout the day, I was extremely impressed by the number of volunteers we encountered. We were greeted by everyone on site, from people blocking streets to people in the feed zones, and everyone was extremely positive. They even had vehicles patrolling the course for accidents, people that could not complete or suffered mechanical issues. Volunteers represent a significant part of this event, and I want to thank them to be our ‘’fuel’’ for the ride. I salute you!
At the finish
At the arrival, we could park our bikes on stands so we could grab a free beer in our awesome beer glass that we got as a gift, a big sausage hot dog and some fries. A band was performing music, and everybody congratulated the people around them with a big party feel. It was in my opinion the perfect ”after ride”.
In conclusion
The 100 à B7 set the perfect example of an inclusive event. From a smaller course for kids on Saturday to medium and bigger one on Sunday, there was something for everybody. My overall experience was far beyond my expectation, and they can count me in for next year.
You can have more information about Les 100 à B7 here:
