In 2022, Francis Juneau showed his talent at the Tour du Mirabelle and especially at the Polish under-23 race Carpathian Couriers with a second place in the general classification. Even though BIKE AID will start with fewer foreign athletes in 2023, the team is proud to welcome a rider from Canada. "I am a Québec from the south coast of Montreal. I've been racing in Europe since 2018, which I really enjoy. I'm excited about the opportunity BIKE AID is giving me." Says Francis Juneau.
As a child, Francis played basketball and rode his bike at the same time: "I was definitely not a natural born racer. It took me a long time to understand how to train and race properly." At the age of 16, he decided to fully focus on cycling. As a junior, Francis moved from Canada to France and it wasn't long before he fell in love with the beautiful training conditions, the mountains and, most importantly, the races.
Francis' personal career highlights include winning the queen stage of the Green Mountain Stage Race in the USA and winning the Grand Prix Haraucourt, as it went across the training roads of his former amateur team in France. His compatriot and this year's Tour stage winner Hugo Houle inspires Francis and motivates him to compete in the Tour de France one day. Besides cycling, the 22-year-old is studying industrial design and with his small Citroën Saxo, he has already experienced some adventures on his tours through Europe. "Riding for a team that supports social and charitable projects is an extra motivation for me." Says Francis Juneau.
