gcc history
Ivan Aristizabal
Our story goes back to the year 2021, during the height of the pandemic that confined us and robbed us of a freedom we didn’t know we had. Like many people around the world, I was trying to fight isolation and the lack of human contact and connection with nature. Determined to find an activity that would allow me to enjoy and experience the summer in a different way, I dusted off my hybrid bike (Giant Roam 0) and began planning bike rides every weekend with two close friends (Nathalia and Camilo).
It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the sport and to want to further improve my performance on the bike. Of course, this meant thinking about getting a better bike, one that would allow me to go faster and cover longer distances. So, at the end of the summer of 2021, I decided to take the plunge and invest in a Trek Domane SL 5, which allowed me to discover the world of cycling from a different perspective. It was no longer just an activity among friends; it was now about being part of a larger group of cyclists with whom I could ride faster and go longer distances.
It is on May 13, 2022, when everything begins to take shape. I go out for the first time with my coworkers Dan and Chieko, who are triathletes with more than one Ironman and Triathlons in their records, and me, a simple novice cyclist with my new road bike. I remember that day we had an epic descent from the Champlain Lookout, where we got excited and chased after a group of cyclists who were training. Surprisingly, we caught up with them and passed them. I remember the excitement of the three of us as the adrenaline from this accomplishment was still alive. Laughing, we said, ‘We should start our own club.’ And that’s how the Grimpeurs Cycling Club was born, from a simple outing among coworkers, after the thrill ofcatching up with a group of cyclists with more experience than us.
Now you may be wondering about the history of our name: : “The word ‘Grimpeurs’ comes from the French translation of the word ‘Climbers,’ which was Dan’s, Chieko’s, and my shared passion. We wanted to become a club made up of people who enjoy climbing high mountains on their bikes. Our name, a mix of French and English, was perfect for the area where we were born: the National Capital Region of Canada, the union of two provinces (Ontario and Quebec) where English and French blend as official languages. It had to be this way, to honor the territory of which we are a part.”
A cycling club is not formed overnight, and I knew I had to start recruiting more cyclists who shared the same enthusiasm and passion for group riding. It didn’t take long for me to connect with José and Miguel, with whom we participated in the local CN Cycle for CHEO event in 2022. The connection was immediate, and the idea of us being part of the same club fit seamlessly.
I firmly believe that it is easier to do great things as a team, and if you are passionate about what you are doing, you need to surround yourself with people who are just as passionate, if not more so. This is the best way to grow and create a cohesive group with shared values. In José and Miguel, I found two allies who took my cycling and sports performance to another level and who invested the same energy as I did in the Grimpeurs Cycling Club project. This passion and effort took the club to the next level. We were confident that we could find other cyclists of a similar level who enjoyed riding in a group and riding long distances.
We had the passion and an idea of what we wanted to achieve, but we lacked someone with experience who could help us take the club to another level from a marketing point of view. That’s how, in 2023, fate brought us together with Alex, who had recently arrived from Colombia, with a lot of experience in cycling, marketing, and many fresh ideas.
His connection with the planning group was immediate; he was the fourth member we needed from the management group to improve the presence of our club on social networks and visual issues (logo with its own identity and visual identity, visibility, new jerseys, website, etc.).
It took us a just over a year to form a solid group of cyclists who faithfully set out every Sunday in the summer from very early in the morning for long rides (fondos of more than 100 km) . Although we are still few in number, we continue to grow and create memories with each of our rides. Today we share our story through our own blog, something we did not even think was possible, but thanks to fate, which has brought us valuable members to our community, today we allow ourselves to dream big. We believe we can do things differently, with our own style, but always maintaining our values of unity and camaraderie.
I would like to thank all the cyclists who have ridden with us since 2022: some were temporary passengers, others stayed and continue to contribute to our club. To each of you, thank you for being part of the Grimpeurs Cycling Club, thank you for bringing your joy, your companionship, your ideas and your suggestions. We hope that you will continue to be part of our history and that we will continue to conquer new territories on our bikes.
