It is with the aim of setting an example that an astronaut from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) participated in “La Boucle Vidéotron” as part of the Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie (GDPL) on Saturday.
“Health and physical activity are two extremely important things to me. It’s important to promote it and if I can be a model or a source of inspiration for Canadians I will do it,” said Joshua Kutryk, originally from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.
The route which began at 8 a.m. on the Quebec Bridge allowed him, as well as several thousand participants, to cover 135 kilometers while visiting seven cities in the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches regions.
“Exceptional”
It was also a first participation in the event for the man who says he is particularly fond of Quebec since his time in the 425th Tactical Support Squadron in Bagotville while he was a CF-18 pilot from 2007 to 2011.
Astronaut Joshua Kutryk | COURTESY PHOTO/Canadian Space Agency
Currently in preparation for the Starliner-1 mission during which he will spend around six months aboard the international space station to carry out scientific experiments and test new technologies, the 42-year-old also wanted to thank Pierre Lavoie and the organization.
“This is not my first event of this kind, but it was truly exceptional. It’s a lot of organizational work and it has a great impact on society,” concluded the man who will be the first CSA astronaut to be part of NASA’s Commercial Manned Mission Program.
Lots of pride
For his part, Pierre Lavoie said he was extremely happy to see such a large participation in the event which was making a comeback after taking a break last year.
“It’s a big comeback because when you skip a year you never know if people are going to come back, but we’ve always treated everyone like elite and they remember that. They appreciate it and are giving it back to us today,” he explains.
The arrival of Pierre Lavoie at Laval University | DIDIER DEBUSSCHERE/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
He also wanted to point out that several new young cyclists joined the event this year, which makes him very proud since many of them have undoubtedly participated in the Energy Cubes Challenge since 2009 and have kept their healthy lifestyle habits ever since.
“Several of those who made energy cubes are today journalists, teachers, doctors and we prepared them. They are starting to come and nourish the movement and that is the vision that I had at the time, that one day these young people will become adults and that they will continue to make the wheel turn,” he concluded.
