Louis Garneau (born August 9, 1958, in Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada) is a retired competitive cyclist, artist, and businessman of French-Canadian descent.

In 1978, Garneau was the Canadian champion in individual pursuit cycling. In 1983, he founded Louis Garneau Sports, which sells cycling clothing and accessories.

Early years

Garneau was born in Sainte-Foy, Quebec on August 9, 1958, the son of Paul Garneau and Jeannine Lehoux. He obtained his bachelor's degree in visual arts from Laval University and won an excellence scholarship there in 1983.

Cycling team

Louis Garneau operated a cycling development team for several years, in order to help young talented cyclists reach their full potential and allow them to pass into the ranks of professional cyclists. Some big name Quebec cyclists who went through this development team are: David Veilleux (first Quebec cyclist to participate in the Tour de France within the professional continental team Europcar), Antoine Duchesne (who joined Europcar in 2014 and is now part of Groupama FDJ), Hugo Houle (a member of the UCI World Tour AG2R La Mondiale team from 2013 and now with Astana-Premier Tech), as well as Canadian Michael Woods (who will start his 2021 season within the UCI World Tour Israel Start-Up Nation cycling team.)

Through conferences and cycling events, Louis Garneau is socially involved with the organization Les Petits Frères, whose committed to relieving isolation and loneliness among the elderly.

On December 22, 2018, Garneau launched the international "Don't Text and Drive" day, in memory of his cycling friend Jason Lowndes, who died on his bike during a training session in Australia, by a distracted driver, on December 22, 2017.

Top honours as a cyclist

  • 1975
  • First place at Canadian Junior Team Championship
  • 1976
  • Provincial Junior Champion
  • 1977
  • Track Cycling Canada Championships | Team Pursuit Canada Championship
  • 1978
  • Track Cycling Canada Championships | Canadian Champion in Individual Pursuit
  • Quebec Team Pursuit Championship
  • 1979
  • Canadian Road Cycling Championships | Canadian Time Trial Champion
  • Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
  • Marc Blouin Grand Prix
  • Grand Prix de Sutton
  • Critérium de Verdun
  • 1980
  • Maine International Bicycle Race
  • Vancouver Criterium
  • Canada Week Grand Prix
  • 1981
  • Grand Prix de Lévis
  • Tour de la Gaspésie
  • Grand Prix cycliste de Beauport
  • Sherbrooke Award
  • Canada Week Awards
  • Price Italian Super Prestige
  • Grand Prix Terre des Hommes
  • Critérium de Contrecœur
  • 1982
  • Canada Week Awards
  • Provincial Road Championship
  • 1983
  • Fitchburg Longsjo Classic
  • Ocean Gate Tower
  • Hartford Criterium
  • Lebanon Grand Prix

He competed in the individual road race event at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

Honours

  • 1990 – Raymond-Blais Medal
  • 1997 – Chevalier de l'Ordre national du Québec
  • 1999 – Officer of the Order of Canada
  • 2007 – Honorary Doctorate from the University of Ottawa
  • 2012 – Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • 2014 – Recipient of the Medal of Honour of the Quebec National Assembly
  • 2015 – Recipient of one of 50 Canadian flags awarded by the Prime Minister to 50 deserving Canadians on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Maple Leaf

References

  • Louis Garneau's website
  • BBC article about the photograph of Garneau and the Queen