The timing wasn’t the greatest, since I was in Canada for pretty much the exact dates my step-brother and cycling guru, Rob Armstrong, was in France, but we did manage to meet up (for the first time in our lives, incredibly) in Nice for a cold Belgian beer and a wonderful dinner.

And he really worked for that beer. In the week I was stuffing my face and slacking off in Gaspé, Rob climbed a Cat 1, plus 5 Hors Cat climbs in the Alps (Stage 18 and 19 of this year’s Tour) before heading to Provence and blasting up Mt. Ventoux in 1:34 (that’s really good, trust me). The photographer of this shot, Rob’s daughter Nicole, also rode up Ventoux that same day, in running shoes and only her 5th time riding…there’s something to be said for genetics.