ACDA offers a different kind of professional cycling

©Magalie Dagenais Photographe

The ACDA (Association cycliste en développement des affaires) cycling club of Montreal hits the highlights of the Laurentians each summer and this year, it will take a route that snakes through the scenic valleys and demanding climbs surrounding Mont Tremblant. Formed 22 years ago, ACDA began with a desire to be different than most biking clubs, a decision that continues to hold true.

Gilles Dionne founded the club as a way to create more business opportunities in real estate. At the time, most networking events were golf tournaments where you would meet only two or three others, and spend the whole day working your way through the course. Dionne wanted more interaction with more people. He started off informally, inviting other real estate professionals out to ride bikes where the goal was getting to know other riders. Pretty quickly, Dionne decided to found a club, and even though membership was through invitation only, soon the group was 100 strong. Each of the monthly rides ended with a cocktail hour or meal where members could talk business and seek out new ways to work together, a tradition that continues today.

“Making ACDA invitation-only is a way to make sure newcomers arrive prepared,” said Dionne. “The older members bring in the new members and stay with them for the whole event to make things less intimidating. We feel it is a more natural way to introduce someone new.”

©Magalie Dagenais Photographe

Current membership has grown to 375 riders, with about 200 showing up for each of the monthly rides. A team led by technical director Steve Vocelle includes a support car complete with a mechanic and spare bikes. Five motorcycles and a couple of other cars can offer support throughout the group, including first aid, and minor technical support. A feed zone car leapfrogs the group to ensure plentiful food and water is available midway through the ride. Vocelle manages the entire support team, and it should surprise no one in its professional feel – Vocelle has worked for pro cycling teams and high-end tour companies.

“Most weekend rides organized by other clubs are made for one or two types of people,” said Vocelle. “We try to pull all kinds of riders together. Some are new, others are former racers with a lot of experience.”

Each monthly ride is broken up into groups of 10 based on pace. Each group has a trained ride leader, and speeds tend to start at 25 km/h, to near race pace for the fastest group. Vocelle and his team help to keep the ride disciplined. Two distance options are available at every ride. He plans each of the five rides in a season, starting with a season opener in May and the finale in September, based on a pool of 10 different regions surrounding Montreal.

What makes ACDA stand apart is what happens after the ride ends. Each event ends with a cocktail hour or meal where the focus is on networking and building professional opportunities. Start and finish venues are chosen to include showers and change rooms, and must offer a suitable place for the mixer. This approach is baked into the entire operation, with new members sought as much for professional value as riding experience.

The ride through the Tremblant region marks the mid-way point in the ACDA season. Those interested in getting in on the fun can learn more at acdaquebec.com.

Dean Campbell8 Posts

Rédacteur pour de nombreuses publications, Dean Campbell passe son temps libre à vélo sur les routes et les singletracks. Basé à Gatineau, Dean a couvert les Jeux olympiques de Vancouver, de Londres et de Sotchi et a prêté sa plume à Sportsnet.ca pour des articles sur le cyclisme. Il est également un des principaux collaborateurs de la revue Canadian Cycling Magazine. / Dean Campbell is a writer based in Gatineau, QC, where he spends any free time on a bike, riding singletrack and roads. Dean has covered the Vancouver, London, and Sochi Olympics, written about cycling for Sportsnet.ca, and is a senior contributor to Canadian Cycling Magazine.

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