Hugo Donais

Last updated
Hugo Donais
Hugo Donais.jpg
Personal information
Born (1983-10-14) October 14, 1983 (age 35)
Laval, Quebec, Canada
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineBMX, MTB
RoleRider
Professional team(s)
2001 Rogers AT&T
2002Balfa Cycles Factory Team
2003-2005 Norco Factory Team

Hugo Donais (born October 14, 1983) is a Canadian retired cyclist who specialized in downhill mountain biking, four-cross and BMX.

Downhill mountain biking

Downhill mountain biking (DH) is a genre of mountain biking practiced on steep, rough terrain that often features jumps, drops, rock gardens and other obstacles.

Four-cross

Four-cross (4X), also called mountain-cross, not to be confused with fourcross, is a relatively new style of mountain bike racing where four bikers race downhill on a prepared, BMX-like track, simply trying to get down first. These bikes are generally either full suspension with 3 to 4 inches of travel, or hardtails, and typically have relatively strong frames. They run a chainguide on front and gears on the back. They have slack head angles, short chainstays and low bottom brackets for good cornering and acceleration. In recent years the tracks raced on have been rougher and less like those used in BMX.

Contents

Donais was born in Laval, Quebec, and grew up in nearby Terrebonne. [1] He began racing competitively in 1995 and turned professional in 2001, the same year he won the Junior Canada Cup Series. Donais spent much of his professional career with the Norco Factory Team and was twice selected as a member of the Canadian national cycling team. [2]

Terrebonne, Quebec City in Quebec, Canada

Terrebonne is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in western Quebec, Canada. It is located on the north shores of the Rivière des Mille-Îles and of the Rivière des Prairies, North of Montreal and Laval.

During his professional career Donais starred in several cycling-related films and television programs, including Full Throttle, [2] ES2 – Fully Loaded [3] and episodes of Ride Guide. [4]

UCI career

Donais represented Canada twice at the UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships, in 2001 as a junior and in 2003 in the Elite category. He also competed in several UCI Mountain Bike World Cup events between 2002 and 2004. [5]

UCI Mountain Bike World Cup mountain bike championship

The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup is a multi-round mountain bike racing series that is sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale. The first World Cup series – which was composed of cross-country events – was held in 1989. The Downhill World Cup was inaugurated two years later, and the Dual Slalom World Cup was launched in 1998. The dual-slalom format – which involved knock-out heats with two riders on the parallel courses in each heat – evolved into four-cross in 2002 before being dropped after the 2011 season. Riders win points according to their placing in each event. The reigning series leaders in each class are identified by a special jersey. The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup is broadcast live and globally on Red Bull TV.

Retirement

Donais retired from competitive cycling in 2005 and moved to British Columbia the following year. Since 2007 he has pursued a career in financial planning. [6]

British Columbia Province of Canada

British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. With an estimated population of 5.016 million as of 2018, it is Canada's third-most populous province.

Palmares

Donais racing in Crabtree, Quebec, 2005. Hugo Donais, BMX.jpg
Donais racing in Crabtree, Quebec, 2005.
1999
3rd Overall MTB Nationals Downhill - Cadet Expert Men [7]
2001
1st Overall Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mountain Bike Downhill Canada Cup Series - Junior [1]
1st Overall Flag of Quebec.svg Quebec Cup - Elite [1]
22nd Overall UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships- Junior [5]
2002
1st Overall Flag of Quebec.svg Quebec Championship
9th Overall Canada Cup Series [8]
2003
1st Overall Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Calgary Canada Cup [1] [9]
2nd Overall Canada Cup Downhill National Series [10]
1st Stage 1
2nd Overall Toronto International Bike Show BMX Pro Dual
1st Overall Flag of Quebec.svg Quebec Championship [11]
72nd Overall UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships [5]
2004
2nd Overall Toronto International Bike Show BMX Pro Dual [12]
4th Overall Canada Cup Series
2005
2nd Overall Canadian BMX Eastern National Series [13]
5th Overall UCI Crabtree BMX International
1st Overall Flag of Quebec.svg Quebec Championship 4-Cross

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Norco Bikes Factory DH Team Rider - Hugo Donais (accessed 1 August 2013)
  2. 1 2 "Norco Factory Team Signs Hugo Donais" Pedal, December 9, 2003. (accessed 1 August 2013)
  3. Albert, Luc. "ES2 – Fully Loaded DVDs Available December 15th 2003" Pinkbike.com, December 11, 2003. (accessed 1 August 2013)
  4. Ride Guide Bike TV (accessed 1 August 2013)
  5. 1 2 3 Hugo DONAIS' race history - Roots & Rain (accessed 1 August 2013)
  6. Hugo Donais - Sun Life Financial (accessed 1 August 2013)
  7. 1999 MTB Nationals Downhill Results (accessed 2 August 2013)
  8. Canada Cup DH Final Standings (Full). Canadian Cyclist, August 6, 2002. (accessed 8 August 2013)
  9. Burkat, Karl. "COP Canada Cup Results", Pinkbike.com, August 6, 2003. (accessed 12 August 2013)
  10. Mountain Bike - 2003 COUPE CANADA CUP - DOWNHILL/DESCENTE (accessed 1 August 2013)
  11. Fraser. "Quebec DH champion crowned" Transcend Magazine, August 2003. (accessed 1 August 2013)
  12. "Toronto International Bike Show Dual Results" Pinkbike.com, March 10, 2004. (accessed 1 August 2013)
  13. Canadian Cycling Association 2005 Annual Report p. 11. (accessed 1 August 2013)