What an amazing experience!

High heat, tough terrain, strong competition, mechanical troubles and the challenge of doing something for the first time!

We faced it all and had 3 of our 4 starters finish this international classic. The 26th annual Tour of Martinique was a terrific debut for the Echelon Project.

Results and photos to follow shortly. Check the TOUR BLOG to get the feel of how it all went. Photos and videos will follow soon.

A team of 4 riders and 2 support head south for the 26th annual Tour Cycliste International de Martinique. Follow the team as they undertake their first International adventure. Hopefully this will not be the last. Follow our trip on our TOUR BLOG

STAGE	DAY	DATE	DISTANCE
1	Saturday	07/07/2007	123.8 km
2A	Sunday	07/08/2007	92.5 km
2B	Sunday	07/08/2007	7.5 km
3	Monday	07/09/2007	105.8 km
4	Tuesday	07/10/2007	104 km
5	Wednesday	07/11/2007	122 km
6	Thursday	07/12/2007	110.5 km
7	Friday	07/13/2007	106 km
8A	Saturday	07/14/2007	99.3 km
8B	Saturday	07/14/2007	15.5 km
9	Sunday	07/15/2007	116.5 km

Our Nova Scotian imports are starting to make a mark on the scene. Geoff O'Toole arrived here and just about stole a victory from professional rider Erik Lyman finishing second in the Lyn Road Race.

Stephen Keeping has been looking at the prize list from just outside all season but is coming on strong. This is the local area tear up NRC long course, the week leading up to the Annual Italian Festival Race. Steve was just beat by the top sprinters in town.

The boys got their first reality check of the season by taking part in 2 professional criterium in the NJ area. The "Tour of Somerville is a true classic on the North American cycling scene. Full of history and marked by celebrity champions, the annual Memorial Day Race weekend provide an opportunity to race along side the pros, and gauge where things are at.

School of hard knocks was in session as our Canadian season is really just winding up and we meet elite racers who have been going hard for months.

Fantastic experience for all and a great chance to see the sport is just a few hours south down RTE 81.

This will become an important part of our annual calendar.

Thanks Tauran and Sophia for the great support provided.

The Biker Banquet was the result of a convergence of many influences and the Ottawa cycling community was out in full force to fuel it. As people kept pouring in it felt as if the only thing missing was a red carpet.

Gord Fraser's triumphant return home was not without a Canadian winter's influence. Friday's ice storm diverted his flight to Washington DC for the night but that only reminded Gord of his xc ski roots and gave him the opportunity to show his desert born son Angus where he gets that icy sprinter poker face from.

Gord left Ottawa as a young rocket and returned as a classy professional.

For 20 years Ottawa has been blessed with with front row seats at the big stage. We have cheered for the champ and lived and died by his struggle to the top.

What a night. Kevin Field worked the phones and had Gord's friend and teammate, Mike Sayers, flying in from Sacremento California (you'd never know from his accent!) to surpirze Gord. Super Mechanic Geoff Brown was home too and went full circle with Gord - they had worked together at Geoff's Dad's bike shop in the 80's. Steve Bauer, Eon D'Ornellas, Tim and Dan Lefebvre, Jacques Landry, Dave Spears, Chris Koberstein, Adam Rupple and a cast of others joined in with cyclists from the region to create a vibe that won't soon be forgotten.

Eon fired up the old magic with his 4500$ bid on Floyd's yellow jersey. The place was on fire.
Thanks Nadia for your quick draw on your camera (big file but worth waiting for!)

For those there to hear Eon talk of arrival in Canada, the bike he was given in 1973 and the support he never forgot, then here he is on that on that very machine in 1973.

Eon in the breakaway in the 1973 Ontario Provincial Championships, Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa.

Thanks to everyone who came out. The collection of people there demonstated that there is so much going on in the region. The Gatineau Park is our Velodrome, our arena and Camp Fortune was the perfect place for us to be.

I will never forget Gord and Eon's generousity and the jumpstart they provided. They tossed a stone into the lake who's ripples will turn to waves.

We were proud to host such a special night.

Mike Sayers, Buck Miller, Dan Lefebvre and Gord Fraser.

After 14 years on the European professional circuit, Geoff in en route home to Canada. Having begun as a mechanic in his father's store in Ottawa, Geoff joins the elite ranks having worked for Lance Armstrong for all 7 of his Tour de France victories. Just so happens he'll be home in time for dinner. Geoff was the recipient of a Biker Banquet "Cyclist of the Year" for having been the first local cyclist to make it to the professional ranks.

The summer's final adventure was the big one. Leaving parliament hill at 7h30 we headed for Montreal, 225km away. A short detour, due to gravel seeking navigation, added 5 km to our route. After a full lunch was enjoyed in Alexandria, courtesy of Gary Monette and Ottawa Honda, we carried on and arrived in Old Montreal in time for dinner.