Marie-Hélène Prémont (born October 24, 1977) is a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

cross-country mountain biker. She is a 6-time Canadian Champion, represented Canada twice at the Olympics (2004, winning a silver medal, and 2008), a Commonwealth Games gold medalist, and from 2004 to 2008 was a regular medal winner on the

UCI Mountain Bike World Cup The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup is a multi-round mountain bike racing series that is sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale The Union Cycliste Internationale (; UCI; ) is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees int ...

cross country circuit.

Career

Born in

Quebec City Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

, Prémont rode for Oryx/Procycle from 1999–2004, and Mont-Velo/Liken. From June 2004 through 2008, and in 2012 she rode for the Rocky Mountain Bikes race team. For the 2009-2011 seasons, she rode for the Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Team. She has been a member of the Canadian National team since 2000. She has won the Canadian National Elite Women's Championship in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. She won a bronze in the 2003

World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the name is ...

circuit in Kaprun, Austria. At the

2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece. The Games saw 10,625 athletes ...

, she won a silver medal. She won three silver medals in the 2004 World Cup Circuit in

Mont-Sainte-Anne Mont-Sainte-Anne is a ski resort in eastern Canada, located in the town of Beaupré, Quebec, about northeast of Quebec City. The mountain is part of the Laurentian mountain chain and has a summit elevation of above sea level with a vertical ...

, Quebec, Fort William,

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

and Livigno, Italy. She won two gold medals in the 2005 World Cup circuit in Spa Francorchamps, Belgium and Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec. She won two gold medals in the 2006 World Cup circuit at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec and Schladming, Austria, and a bronze medal in the 2006 World Championships in Rotorua, New Zealand. At the

2006 Commonwealth Games The 2006 Commonwealth Games, officially the XVIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Melbourne 2006, were an International sport, international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth held in Melbourne ...

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, she won the gold medal. She won 3 silver medals in the 2007 World Cup season at Offenburg, Germany, St. Felicien, Quebec, and Maribor, Slovenia, and finished the 2007 World Cup season in 2nd place overall. She had her best season ever in 2008Union Cycliste Internationale
UCI MTB Results Archive with two gold medals at Fort William and

, three silver and three bronze medals and claiming first place overall after eight of the nine races of the 2008 WC season. She was the only woman to win a medal in every World Cup race she entered. At the

2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...

, she was forced to retire from the race due to hyperventilation. Nats 077

She decided to postpone retirement and race again in 2009. By Madrid, she was back to her usual pace, finishing second just 4 seconds back after swapping the lead with Marga Fullana throughout the race. At

in the 5th race of 2009, Marie was the victim of a flat and a fork lockout problem that resulted in a 10th-place finish, and a 13th place in XCO#6 at Bromont after some breathing difficulties limited her climbing ability. Marie finished on the podium again in 5th at the final 2009 World Cup Race in Schladming, finishing the World Cup season in 6th place overall. After a battery of breathing tests in early August 2009, Marie was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma, first occurring at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 (likely ozone induced since the onset was sudden), and continuing to be a problem through most of the 2009 season. She now has a therapeutic use exception for the use of a Ventolin inhaler in competition. 2010 was a season that combined good fitness and performance with bad luck. There were podium finishes with a 4th at Offenburg and a silver medal in a tightly contested battle at Windham, NY. At an April 2011 Rocky Mountain Bicycles press conference in Quebec City, Marie-Hélène announced that she would continue to compete on the World Cup circuit through the 2012 season with a goal of competing at the 2012 London Olympic Games. 2011 saw three podium finishes, in Offenburg, Mont-Sainte-Anne and Windham. She did not compete in the 2012 Olympics. On 27 February 2013, she announced that she would be taking a sabbatical from mountain bike racing as she was pregnant with her first child. She returned to competitive racing in 2014 for two races, the Canada Cup, taking Bronze, and the World Cup in August. On 5 August 2016, it was announced that Premont will be inducted into The Canadian Cycling Hall of Fame. She formally announced her retirement from competition on 16 October 2016.

Personal life

She lives in Château-Richer, QC. The 55 km Véloroute Marie-Hélène-Prémont bike trail between Boischatel and

Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges () is a municipality in Quebec, Canada. History First explored in 1693 by Louis Soumande (1652-1706) during a hunting expedition, the first settlers came in 1728 when some families were invited to settle there at the in ...

is named for Prémont.

Major achievements

;2000 * 59th in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Napa Valley, CA * 33rd in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Mazatlan, Mexico * 9th in Canada Cup MTB XC#1, Hardwood Hills, ON * 5th in Canada Cup MTB XC#2, Mont-Tremblant, QC * 33rd in World Championships, Sierra Nevada, Spain * 21st in World Cup MTB XCO#6, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * 16th in World Cup MTB XCO#7, Canmore, AB * 5th in National Championships MTB, Camp Fortune, QC * 1st in Women's, Raid Pierre Harvey, MTB Marathon, QC * 1st in Pan American Championships, MTB, Puerto Rico * 4th in Canada Cup MTB XC#5, Silverstar, BCCanadian Cyclist - Canada Cup XC #5 Results
Canadian Cyclist, 08/14/00 ;2001 * 23rd in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Napa Valley, CA * 1st in Camp Fortune/Quebec Cup #3, Camp Fortune, QC * 2nd in Canada Cup MTB XC#1, Hardwood Hills, ON * 2nd in Canada Cup MTB XC#2, Mont-Tremblant, QC * 13th in World Cup MTB XCO#4, Grouse Mountain, BC * 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#3, Fernie, BC * 2nd in Canada Cup MTB XC#4, Calgary, AB * 5th in National Championships MTB, Kamloops, BC * DNF in Canada Cup MTB XC#5, Sun Peaks, BC * 15th in World Cup MTB XCO#8, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * 1st in Quebec Cup, MTB XC, Bromont, QC * 1st in Pan American Championships, MTB, Brazil ;2002 * 29th in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Madrid, Spain * 16th in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Houffalize, Belgium * 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#2, Hardwood Hills, ON * 5th in Canada Cup MTB XC#3, Mont-Tremblant, QC * 2nd in National Championships MTB, Kamloops, BC * 7th in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * DNF World Cup MTB XCO#4, Grouse Mountain, BC * 4th in

Commonwealth Games The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations, which consists mostly, but not exclusively, of territories of the former British Empire. The event was first held in 1930 ...

MTB, Manchester, UK * 16th in World Championships MTB, Kaprun, Austria * 9th in World Cup MTB XCO#5, Les Gets, France * 3rd in Canadian Championship

Cyclo-Cross Cyclo-cross (cyclocross, CX, cyclo-X or cross) is a form of bicycle racing. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter (the international or "World Cup" season is October–February), and consist of many laps of a short (2.5–3.5&nb ...

, Elite Women, St. Augustin, QC ;2003 * 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#1, Bromont, QC * 22nd in World Cup MTB XCO#1, St. Wendel, Germany * 9th in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Fort William, Scotland * 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#3, Mont-Tremblant, QC * 5th in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * n/a in World Cup MTB XCO#4 Telluride, CO, (event cancelled) * 4th in World Cup MTB XCO#5, Grouse Mountain, BC * 1st in National Championship, MTB, Whistler, BC * 5th in World Championships MTB, Lugano, Switzerland * 3rd in World Cup MTB XCO#6, Kaprun, Austria * 4th in

series overall, Elite Women MTB ;2004 * 10th in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Madrid, Spain * 6th in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Houffalize, Belgium * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Fort William, Scotland * no entry in World Cup MTB XCO#4, Schladming, Austria * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#5, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * 1st in National Championship MTB, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * 4th in World Cup MTB XCO#6, Calgary, Alberta * 2nd in Olympic Games, MTB, Athens, Greece * 4th in World Championships MTB, Les Gets, France * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#7, Livigno, Italy * 2nd in

series overall, Elite Women MTB ;2005 * 1st in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium * 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#1, Bromont, QC * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Madrid, Spain * 4th in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Houffalize, Belgium * 3rd in World Cup MTB XCO#4, Willingen, Germany * 1st in National Championship, MTB, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * 1st in World Cup MTB XCO#5, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * no entry in World Cup MTB XCO#6, Santa Catarina, Brazil * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#7, Angel Fire Resort, USA * 4th in World Championships MTB, Livigno, Italy * DNF in World Cup MTB XCO#8, Fort William, Scotland (illness) * 3rd in

series overall, Elite Women MTB ;2006 * 4th in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Curaçao * 1st in

, MTB, Melbourne, Australia * 10th in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Madrid, Spain * 3rd in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#4, Fort William, Scotland * 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#3, Hardwood Hills, ON * 1st in World Cup MTB XCO#5, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#4, Whistler, BC * 1st in National Championship, MTB, Sun Peaks Resort, BC * 3rd in World Championship, MTB, XC Elite, Rotorua, New Zealand * 1st in World Cup MTB XCO#6, Schladming, Austria * 2nd in

series overall, Elite Women MTB ;2007 * 6th in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Houffalize, Belgium * 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#1, Baie-Saint-Paul, QC * 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#2, Bromont, QC * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Offenburg, Germany * 3rd in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Champery, Switzerland * 4th in World Cup MTB XCO#4, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#5, Saint-Félicien, QC * 1st in National Championship, MTB, Mt. Washington, BC * 4th in World Championships MTB, Fort William, Scotland * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#6, Maribor, Slovenia * 2nd in

series overall, Elite Women MTB ;2008 * 3rd in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Houffalize, Belgium * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Offenburg, Germany * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Madrid, Spain * 3rd in World Cup MTB XCO#4, Vallnord,

Andorra Andorra, officially the Principality of Andorra, is a Sovereignty, sovereign landlocked country on the Iberian Peninsula, in the eastern Pyrenees in Southwestern Europe, Andorra–France border, bordered by France to the north and Spain to A ...

* 1st in World Cup MTB XCO#5, Fort William, Scotland * 4th in World Championships MTB, Val di Sole, Italy * 1st in National Championship, MTB, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * 1st in World Cup MTB XCO#6, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#7, Bromont, QC * DNF in Olympic Games, MTB, Beijing, China (asthma) * no entry in World Cup MTB XCO#8, Canberra, Australia * 3rd in World Cup MTB XCO#9, Schladming, Austria * 1st in

series overall, Elite Women MTB ;2009 * no entry in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Pietermaritzburg, RSA * 14th in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Offenburg, Germany * 6th in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Houffalize, Belgium * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#4, Madrid, Spain * 2nd in National Championship, MTB, Saint-Félicien, QC * 10th in World Cup MTB XCO#5, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * 13th in World Cup MTB XCO#6, Bromont, QC * 12th in World Championships MTB, Canberra, Australia * 11th in World Cup MTB XCO#7, Champery, Switzerland * 5th in World Cup MTB XCO#8, Schladming, Austria * 6th in

series overall, Elite Women MTB ;2010 * 8th in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Dalby Forest, Yorkshire, UK * DNF in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Houffalize, Belgium (mechanical) * 4th in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Offenburg, Germany * 13th in World Cup MTB XCO#4, Champery, Switzerland * 8th in World Cup MTB XCO#5, Val di Sole, Italy * 2nd in World Cup MTB XCO#6, Windham, NY * 8th in

series overall, Elite Women MTB * 9th in World Championships MTB, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC ;2011 * 9th in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Pietermaritzburg, RSA * 11th in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Dalby Forest, Yorkshire, UK * 4th in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Offenburg, Germany * 5th in World Cup MTB XCO#4, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * 4th in World Cup MTB XCO#5, Windham, NY * 2nd in National Championship, MTB, Canmore, AB * 9th in World Cup MTB XCO#6, Nove Mesto Na Morave, CR * 11th in World Cup MTB XCO#7, Val di Sole, Italy * 4th in

series overall, Elite Women MTB * 9th in World Championships MTB, Champery, Switzerland ;2012Union Cycliste Internationale
, UCI MTB World Cup Results * 21st in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Pietermaritzburg, RSA * 14th in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Houffalize, Belgium * 9th in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Nove Mesto Na Morave, CR * 21st in World Cup MTB XCO#4, La Bresse, France * 2nd in National Championship, Saint-Félicien, QC * 3rd in World Cup MTB XCO#5, Mont Sainte-Anne, QC * 4th in World Cup MTB XCO#6, Windham, NY * 14th in World Cup MTB XCO#7, Val D'Isère, France * 8th in

series overall, Elite Women MTB * 38th in World Championships MTB, Saalfelden, Austria

References

External links

Official Marie-Hélène Prémont websiteCanadian Cycling Association National Team Bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Premont, Marie-Helene 1977 births Living people Canadian female cyclists Cross-country mountain bikers Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Canada Cyclists at the 2004 Summer Olympics Cyclists at the 2008 Summer Olympics Cyclists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Olympic cyclists for Canada Olympic silver medalists for Canada Cyclists from Quebec City Olympic silver medalists in cycling Canadian mountain bikers Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics Medallists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games 21st-century Canadian sportswomen Commonwealth Games gold medallists in cycling