Max Rubarth

Max Rubarth – 23 years old – Road Team

Bio

My name is Max and this is my second season racing with Ride with Rendall. I started racing in Ottawa after high school and have gained experience racing in Quebec and BC. Coming from a highly competitive curling background, the relaxing nature of bike racing has been a welcome change :P. I currently study in environmental studies at Carleton University and am hoping to continue training and racing competitively while studying full time.

How did I first get into cycling

My introduction into cycling was not through the riding aspect but through building bikes. My younger brother and I would Frankenstein bikes together in our garage to flip for profit. Our bike mechanic skills steadily improved and gear acquisition syndrome began to take over. I began to ride on the road after taking out my dad’s Nishiki Landau into Gatineau park with my high school cycling club. I then got into working at my local bike shop Cyclelogik up until it closed this past fall (RIP). The bike and cycling obsession blew up from there.

Why do I like racing and proudest moment

I like racing for the rush you get after a speedy sprint. The road trips with teammates and seeing sights on the bike are a close second. My proudest racing moment is getting a top 10 result at the 2019 Tour de Beauce.

Fun outside of racing

Photography has been a passion of mine for a long time and I have really been enjoying shooting and collecting film cameras for the past couple of years. My most recent cool acquisition has been a Mamiya Press medium format system. I am also interested in frame building after building my own steel frame two years ago with a friend. Hopefully I can pursue that hobby more after graduation.

Favourite ride

The classic Gatineau park loop is my favourite ride locally for its high-quality terrain and pavement. It’s proximity to good cafes is also a plus 😊. Kitchen Creek in California is also a super awesome ride with a gate closing it to cars!

Brett Stoppa

Brett Stoppa – 19 years old – Road Team

Bio

My name is Brett Stoppa. I grew up in North Bay Ontario, but I have always had a connection with Ottawa, racing with the Wheelers, ECG and the last two seasons with the OBC Junior Racing Team. I now live and train in Ottawa during the summer and I go to school at Canadore College taking Aircraft Maintenance and Avionics.

Why / how did I get into cycling.

I have always been exposed and encouraged around cycling. My Dad raced in the early 90s and later as a Master. I started out riding mountain bikes then progressed to the road bike as a U17.  As a Junior, I spent many weekends in Milton racing at the velodrome.

Why do you like to race and what is your proudest racing moment?

I enjoy racing because I like the thrill of going fast.  Racing helps me to set the bar for my training.  It allows me to reach goals and my racing takes me to different places that I would not normally go.

My proudest moment as a bike racer came as a first year Junior when I completed the Tour de L’Abitibi. I went into the race totally overwhelmed but quickly realized that I was capable of racing six days with some of the best Juniors in the world. Another proud moment was last year’s Preston Street Junior Race Criterium.  The OBC Junior Racing Team had a plan in place and it all came together, winning the race.

What else do you do for fun other than cycling?

During the school year, I am busy with classes and studying.  In the winter, I Nordic ski and I enjoy hanging out with my friends..

What is your favorite ride and why?

My favorite place to ride is in the Gatineau Park but I also really enjoy riding out in the west end of Ottawa (Carp/ Almonte Area).

Ness Dalling

Ness Dalling – 19 years old – Road team

Bio

My name is Ness Dalling, and this would have been my second season with the team. I was born and live in Winnipeg, and spend my winters training there as well. I started working at my local bike shop this summer, and attend the U of M in the winter. 

How I got into cycling

I’ve been riding since a young age, my dad got me into a mountain biking program called Kids of Mud. I spent a few years having fun and racing the manitoba cup series every summer, and as I grew out of that I started training with the provincial team. I spent more time training and racing with them, travelling across the border to race in the States. It was on the provincial team that I got to experience my first training camps, which was really awesome. A few years ago I got to race the Tour de l’Abitibi twice with a local junior team,  ECG in 2017, and then OBC in 2018. It was after my second year there that I got in touch with Ride with Rendall. I am still coached by the provincial coach, and I train with them during winter when I’m at home for school. 

Why I race, and my favourite memory

Ever since I started racing, I’ve always loved the feeling of it. Pushing myself to the limit and challenging myself to do better is something I’ve always enjoyed. One of my favourite memories of racing was from a few years ago when I was in Wisconsin for the Tour of America’s Dairyland (a criterium series) and won the 4th stage.

My other hobbies

When I’m not on my bike (which isn’t often, I bring it with me almost everywhere I go), I enjoy everything else outdoors. Whether it’s just a simple hike, or a day at the beach, or a 5 day backcountry canoe trip, I love being outside. In the winter, I also coach downhill skiing with our local club. 

My favourite ride

This is a tough one. Riding in MB can be pretty boring, and some of the rides I’ve done in Ottawa have been pretty amazing. I think the title for this one would have to go to the out and back loop through Riding Mountain Nat’l Park here at home. It’s a little ways from Winnipeg, but my family has a cottage in the park. It’s 60km each way with rolling hills and beautiful forests, and a big climb at the far end of it. 

Jérémie La Grenade

Jérémie La Grenade – 17 years old – Mountain Bike Team

Bio

My name is Jérémie, I am a junior racer on the mountain bike, road and cyclo-cross scene. I have joined Cycling Canada’s NextGen program two years ago and I have been training and racing all over north America.  I am currently taking online classes for school and I am also working in a bike shop as a sales man.

Why/how did you first get into cycling?

I started riding my bike with two of my neighbors, eventually I decided that I wanted to try a race at Fortune and I instantly fallen in love with the sport. Since then cycling has been the biggest part of my life and I learned a lot of things from it.

Why do you like to race and what is your proudest racing moment?

Since I have started I always wanted to be the fastest whether it was down or uphill, but I think that chasing the podium or the first place is what’s exciting me the most about races. My proudest moment is definitely my first victory; it was during a Quebec Cup in Baie Saint-Paul and I had never been first in a Provincial race before.

What else do you do for fun other than cycling?

I like to spend time with my friends and get out in the nature. I also play guitar when I have nothing to do at home.

What is your favorite ride and why?

I don’t have one favorite ride, but I have a lot of memories from different rides. For me the environment around my ride is what makes it special; if I have good friend around and I am having fun on my bike any ride can be the best !

Nick Kleban

Nick Kleban – 20 years old – Road Team

Bio

My name is Nick Kleban, I’m 20 years old and this is my first season racing for the Ride with Rendall elite team. I grew up in Squamish, British Columbia where I competed in cross-country mountain biking until 2017, when I moved to Montreal where I currently live and study Physiology at McGill University.

Why/how did you first get into cycling?

I started riding my bike when I was five years old, when I moved to Squamish. I wanted to be like my friends, some of whom, like a lot of kids in town, had been riding since around the same time they began to walk. A couple years later, I raced my first mountain bike race in the local “Pedal to the Medal” elementary school bike series. I came second place in the race and I remember going for MARS bars with my Mom afterwards, which eventually became a tradition. A few years later, I joined Team Squamish, the local youth mountain bike team, where I began to take racing more seriously. As a teenager, I raced for the BC provincial team up until I moved to Montreal to attend university in 2017. After joining the McGill Cycling team, I began to ride on the road as a way to cross-train for mountain biking, but I ended up falling in love with the sport while racing in the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference. Now that I’ve fully converted to the road, I’m looking forward to more racing with Ride with Rendall whenever the time comes!

Why do you like to race and what is your proudest racing moment?

Like most people who race, I like to compete, but I also really enjoy the process of training and building towards my goals. It’s also really fun travelling to new places to race and hanging out with my teammates around races. My proudest racing moment to date would be placing in the top ten of my first junior national mountain bike championship in 2016.

What else do you do for fun other than cycling?

I like long walks on the beach, pina coladas and getting caught in the rain! More seriously, I like to cook and bake with my girlfriend at home, hang out with my friends and spend time with my cat Julie.

What is your favorite ride and why?

My favourite ride in Montreal is the loop to Covey Hill and back. The ride  is about 160km and has amazing rolling roads, a climb (a rarity around Montreal) and there’s great places to stop for breakfast or pizza on the ride!

Juliette Tétreault

Juliette Tétreault – 22 years old – Mountain Bike Elite Team

Bio

Hey, I’m Juliette, some call me Jet for short. I grew up in the Outaouais region and I am now living in Val-des-Monts, which is where I started mountain biking at 12 years old. I am currently studying anthropology at the University of Ottawa and loving it! I train to race at the highest level and to have fun and I have been living the dream of racing World Cups for 3 years!

Why/how did you first get into cycling?

I started riding after reading an article about Marie-Hélène Prémont, an Olympic silver medalist from Quebec and it felt like I found my calling. From then, cycling and racing became my passion and I have been climbing up the ladder from the regional to the international level.

Why do you like to race and what is your proudest racing moment?

I like the adrenaline and the sense of achievement that comes from racing, it’s just a huge source of pleasure for me! My proudest moments were in 2018, during my first World Cups in Europe, I was able to pull wonderful races from not so good situations and these results got me on the national team, which was a huge achievement at the time.

What else do you do for fun other than cycling?

I play a couple instruments at home, mostly piano and guitar. I also love to read and I have a great passion for Netflix and snacking.

What is your favorite ride and why?

I have a couple of tranquil gravel routes around home, but my favorite goes to the Gatineau Park loop: the roads feel like home and there are so many fun climbs! The Hartland dump in Victoria, BC is also a great area for mountain biking with its fast technical terrain and classic BC rock slabs.

Jacob Lacroix

Jacob Lacroix – 19 years old – Road Team

Bio

My name is Jacob. I grew up in Gatineau and started racing at 17. I work at BGIS in the summer and as an alpine ski coach in the winter. I love everything about biking, from the training to the technology and the new places it makes me discover. I Ride With Rendall to get to the next level of bike racing.

Why/how did you first get into cycling?

I started working in Ottawa in 2016. Being too cheap to pay for the bus and not having a car, I biked to work. Wanting to sleep in longer, I got an entry level road bike and started taking KOM’s in my neighborhood on Strava. The next fall I wanted to start racing with my brother and maybe do 1 or 2 fqsc races but less than a week before the Calabogie Classic, Guillaume Lafleur Contacted me to race with OBC Jr Team because he had seen some of my KOM’s. After the first race I was hooked and it’s only gotten better from there.

Why do you like to race and what is your proudest racing moment?

I love going really fast and being on the limit with a bunch of other people. My proudest racing moment is by far my 3^rd place finish at the elite Quebec Road Race Championships.

What else do you do for fun other than cycling?

I love alpine skiing. I’ve done it since I was 2 years old and raced for 8 years. I also love football and played through high school. Finally, I like outdoor activities such as hiking and camping.

What is your favorite ride and why?

My favorite ride is the next adventure. I often get tired of riding the same loops so I love when I find a new super calm road to discover. Lucky for me, I’ve only biked for 2 years so I can find new stuff every week!

Émile Farrell-Dessureault

Émile Farrell-Dessureault – 21 years old – Road and mountain bike Team

Bio

My name is Émile but my close buddies call me ‘Milz’.  Grew up in Gatineau five minutes of walk from the Gatineau park, I now lest the family nest and living in Sherbrooke for university.  Did a physics certificate and starting a bachelor in civil engineering as of fall 2020.

Why/how did you first get into cycling?

I first started riding mountain bikes with my dad but really fell in love after a mountain bike summer camp in the Gatineau park.  Didn’t stop ever since.  I loved it so much that starting to race was just a natural transition for me and things got more and more serious ever since.  I raced mountain bikes all my life and did some local road races until 2019 where I started to do some proper road races

Why do you like to race and what is your proudest racing moment?

I love the challenge of racing and the feeling of fulfilment that you get after a good race.  Hanging with buddies at race is certainly enjoyable too.  So far, my proudest race moment was finishing tour de Beauce 2019, even if I didn’t get a good result finishing a hard race like this one without having race on the road before was magical.  Representing Canada at the 2019 mountain bike world championships is also up there in my glorious moments.

What else do you do for fun other than cycling?

Everything that brings me in the nature, hiking, climbing, skiing, running.  I feel so relaxed and at ease when I’m in the forest.  Off the bike I like to cook, bake and brew some kombucha.

What is your favorite ride and why?

Long mountain bikes rides to the fire tower in the Gatineau park always hits the spot for me.  Being able to ride for so long in the woods on different trails really makes this ride unique.  It also reminds me of my childhood, riding up there with my dad on the weekends

Justin Purificati

Justin Purificati – 29 years old – Road Team

Bio

My name is Justin, and my nickname nowadays is Zwift All-Star. I grew up in Ottawa, went to school in Montreal, and now live back in Ottawa. I currently work at Greg Christie’s as the head mechanic, and ride my bikes as much as I can.

Why/how did you first get into cycling?

I’ve always enjoyed riding my bike growing up. I mostly started with mountain biking, building trails and hitting jumps with my friends. I played a  lot of competitive sports growing up, mostly soccer and alpine ski racing, but I always found time to ride in between my main sports. It was always a good way to unwind from competition and just have fun. While in University, I tore my ACL and as a way to stay active, I turned my attention to riding. After a summer of rehab of riding my bike around the city, I was looking for a way to return to competing in sports. That’s when I saw the Montreal Pro tour race and thought that would be pretty cool. I joined the University team, and ever since I stared riding and racing with roadies, I was hooked. The rest was just history.

Why do you like to race and what is your proudest racing moment?

My favourite aspect of riding is competitive nature of the sport. There’s always a desire to push yourself further, and you can always see tangible results. My favourite moment racing, was beating Jeremy Powers in a sprint at Killington Stage Race. I finished second, but I was pretty excited about beating a cyclocross legend that used to race for my favourite team, Jelly Belly.

What else do you do for fun other than cycling?

Outside of riding, I enjoy cooking playing guitar and listening to music. Mostly older music and heavier stuff. Something with a good riff and base line.

What is your favorite ride and why?

My favorite ride is 6 Gaps in Vermont. It covered 6 big climbs and roughly 200km with 4200m of elevation. Great roads, terrain and scenery, and always feels like an accomplishment to finish the ride. Great bonds with friends are made on this ride.

Brendan Cowley

Brendan Cowley – 22 years old – Road Team

Bio

My first name is Brendan but everybody calls me by my last name (Cowley). I was born in the US but have grown up in Vancouver BC. I started racing when I was 11 years old at the velodrome in Vancouver (The Burnaby Velodrome Club), where I continue to train and now work as a coach. In the winters I coach and lead most of the structured workouts. In the summer I race and travel and live the dream.

Why/how did you first get into cycling?

My dad was watching the Tour de France on tv when I was 4 or 5, I started watching it with him and decided I wanted to race bikes . That dream of racing bikes never went away and so I started riding at the velodrome as soon as I could fit one of their rental bikes. Been racing ever since.

Why do you like to race and what is your proudest racing moment?

I like the competition and the lifestyle. Traveling with good buds and racing hard for one another. My proudest moment was at the first stage of Killington this past season. The team lined up on the front and brought back the day’s breakaway before launching me and a teammate into the final climb and both of us making the selection (before the stage was stopped for a roadside house fire). Just seeing the team ripping turns on the front and being able to finish off the work the boys did made me super proud.

What else do you do for fun other than cycling?

I enjoy spending time with my family, listening to music, and taking time out at the beach. I like to hike and spend time outdoors as well.