The 12th edition of the Défi Vélo presented by Desjardins took place on Friday, August 23. A not-to-be-missed charity event for cyclists in the Montérégie-Ouest region, organized in aid of the Fondation de l'Hôpital du Suroît. Vaudreuil-Soulanges citizen and entrepreneur Geneviève Jeanson, a well-known cycling Olympian, was the event's ambassador. 

Under a radiant sun, the 100 participating cyclists set off from L'Authentique Érablière and rode the most beautiful roads in the Haut-Saint-Laurent region in the company of the former Olympic athlete. 

A resident of Saint-Lazare, Geneviève Jeanson knows just how important Hôpital du Suroît is to the people of the Montérégie-Ouest region. She enthusiastically accepted the Suroît Hospital Foundation's invitation to become an ambassador for the 12th edition of the Défi Vélo, presented by Desjardins.

“It's a high-quality event organized by Pascale Nadeau, the foundation's events coordinator and an avid cyclist herself. So it was only natural for me to agree to be the event's ambassador,” she points out. 

Geneviève Jeanson enjoyed a flourishing cycling career in the early 2000s. Representing Canada at the Sydney Olympics, her rise came to an abrupt end in 2005 when she failed an anti-doping test for EPO. Abused by her coach, Geneviève Jeanson now speaks openly about her experience and offers inspiring talks on resilience and surpassing oneself.

Rouler pour la santé de l'Hôpital du Suroît is an action full of meaning for Geneviève Jeanson, and it was with great pride that she set off, under a radiant sun, with the hundred or so cyclists registered for the event, on August 23.

The challenge was twofold for the cycling enthusiasts: both physical - some cyclists covered over 200 kilometers during the day - and philanthropic. Thanks to the support of the community and, above all, of local businesses, this edition of the Défi Vélo generated a net profit of $68,082, bringing the cumulative total to $513,056 for all twelve editions of the Défi Vélo.