Albert Leblanc, the astonishing octogenarian cyclist

Day 80 of my solo bike trip across Canada. 

Just before leaving paleontologist Olivier Matton and his family, his mother Dolorès said to me: “It’s a pity you didn’t meet Albert LeBlanc…”. 

One phone call later and I’m in the company of this phenomenon. Perhaps one of the fittest cyclists in Quebec, even though he was born in 1924! For over 40 years, Albert LeBlanc has been cycling around the world to attend the Summer Olympics and to raise money for sick children, diabetics and the Sainte-Justine Hospital. Perhaps you’ve already seen him on the roads of Canada with his earth-shaped money box on his bike?

His first major trip was to the 1964 Tokyo Games in Japan. During the opening ceremony, he fell under the charm of this global event dedicated to sport and youth. “It inspired me to pursue the experience,” he says. His longest journey took him from the Mexico Games (1968) to the Munich Games (1972) – four years and two months! 

“My next challenge is the Beijing Games, he says, his eyes sparkling. It’s going to be my greatest journey yet! To do that, I’m learning Cantonese and Mandarin!” Although he didn’t cycle all the way to China, this octogenarian pedalled 800 kilometres from his home village in Gaspésie to the Montreal airport.

Albert Leblanc experienced 12 Olympic Games, and passed away in 2016 at the age of 91. The memory of this astonishing globetrotting dreamer remains engraved in my heart… 

Texts by Éric Clément and Bertrand Lemeunier