Marie-Hélène Prémont (born October 24, 1977) is a Canadian 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 cross country circuit.
Career Born in Quebec City, Quebec, 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.Canadian Cycling Association Team Bio , CCA - National Team: Marie-Helene Premont
She has won the Canadian National Elite Women's Championship in 2003,Canadian Cyclist - MTB Nationals Whistler BC, Canadian Cyclist, 07/20/03 2004,Canadian Cyclist - Mountain Bike National Championships, Canadian Cyclist, 07/17/04 2005,Canadian Cyclist - MTB National XC Championships Mont Ste Anne QC, Canadian Cyclist, 06/12/05 2006,Canadian Cyclist - MTB Nationals Sun Peaks, Kamloops BC, Canadian Cyclist, 07/15/06 2007,Canadian Cyclist - MTB Nationals Mount Washington, BC, Canadian Cyclist, 07/21/07 and 2008.Canadian Cyclist - MTB Nationals Mont Sainte-Anne, QC, Canadian Cyclist, 07/20/08
She won a bronze in the 2003 World Cup circuit in Kaprun, Austria. At the 2004 Summer Olympics, she won a silver medal. She won three silver medals in the 2004 World Cup Circuit in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec,Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive Fort William, ScotlandUnion Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive and Livigno, Italy.Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive She won two gold medals in the 2005 World Cup circuit in Spa Francorchamps, BelgiumUnion Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive and Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec.Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive She won two gold medals in the 2006 World Cup circuit at Mont-Sainte-Anne, QuebecUnion Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive and Schladming, Austria,Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive and a bronze medal in the 2006 World Championships in Rotorua, New Zealand.Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne,Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive she won the gold medal. She won 3 silver medals in the 2007 World Cup season at Offenburg, Germany,Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive St. Felicien, Quebec,Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive and Maribor, Slovenia,Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive 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 WilliamUnion Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive and Mont-Sainte-Anne,Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive 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, she was forced to retire from the race due to hyperventilation.Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI MTB Results Archive
She decided to postpone retirement and race again in 2009.Official Marie-Hélène Prémont website, Official Marie-Hélène Prémont website News page, February 13, 2009 By Madrid,Union Cycliste Internationale , UCI MTB Results Archive she was back to her usual pace, finishing second just 4 seconds back after swapping the lead with Marga Fullana throughout the race. At Mont-Sainte-Anne 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.Canadian Cyclist - interview with Marie-Hélène Premont, Canadian Cyclist, 08/4/09 Marie finished on the podium again in 5th at the final 2009 World Cup Race in Schladming,Union Cycliste Internationale , UCI MTB Results Archive 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.Official Marie-Hélène Prémont website, Official Marie-Hélène Prémont website News page, August 14, 2009Canadian Cyclist - Testing Reveals Asthma Problem for Premont, Canadian Cyclist, September 2/09
2010 was a season that combined good fitness and performance with bad luck. There were podium finishes with a 4th at OffenburgUnion Cycliste Internationale , UCI MTB Results Archive and a silver medal in a tightly contested battle at Windham, NY.Union Cycliste Internationale , UCI MTB Results Archive
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.Official Marie-Hélène Prémont website, Official Marie-Hélène Prémont website News page, April 14, 2011
2011 saw three podium finishes, in Offenburg,Union Cycliste Internationale , UCI MTB Results Archive Mont-Sainte-AnneUnion Cycliste Internationale , UCI MTB Results Archive and Windham.Union Cycliste Internationale , UCI MTB Results Archive
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.Sportcom Quebec sports media service website , Marie-Helene Premont takes a break 27-02-2013
She returned to competitive racing in 2014 for two races, the Canada Cup, taking Bronze, and the World Cup in August.http://www.mhpremont.com/news.htm (May 25/14 and August 3/14); Retrieved May 3, 2016
On 5 August 2016, it was announced that Premont will be inducted into The Canadian Cycling Hall of Fame.CYCLING CANADA NAMES 2016 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES (August 5/16); Retrieved Aug 5, 2016
She formally announced her retirement from competition on 16 October 2016.Marie-Hélène Prémont: une annonce qui officialise la retraite(October 16, 2016); Retrieved Oct 16, 2016
Personal life She lives in Château-Richer, QC.Official Marie-Hélène Prémont website, Official Marie-Hélène Prémont website Biography page
The 55 km Véloroute Marie-Hélène-Prémont bike trail between Boischatel and Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges is named for Prémont.
Major achievements
2000 59th in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Napa Valley, CACanadian Cyclist - Complete Results from Napa - World Cup #1, Canadian Cyclist, 03/27/00 33rd in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Mazatlan, MexicoCanadian Cyclist - Official Mazatlan World Cup Results, Canadian Cyclist, 04/2/00 9th in Canada Cup MTB XC#1, Hardwood Hills, ONCanadian Cyclist - Canada Cup XC #1, Canadian Cyclist, 05/28/00 5th in Canada Cup MTB XC#2, Mont-Tremblant, QCCanadian Cyclist - Mt Tremblant Canada Cup XC #2, Canadian Cyclist, 06/17/00 33rd in World Championships, Sierra Nevada, SpainCanadian Cyclist - Official Results for Womens XC at MTB Worlds, Canadian Cyclist, 06/11/00 21st in World Cup MTB XCO#6, Mont Sainte-Anne, QCCanadian Cyclist - MSA Women's XC Story and Results, Canadian Cyclist, 07/2/00 16th in World Cup MTB XCO#7, Canmore, ABCanadian Cyclist - Women's Canmore Story, Canadian Cyclist, 07/9/00 5th in National Championships MTB, Camp Fortune, QCCanadian Cyclist - Mountain Bike Nationals - Cross Country, Canadian Cyclist, 07/23/00 1st in Women's, Raid Pierre Harvey, MTB Marathon, QCCanadian Cyclist - Raid Pierre Harvey, Canadian Cyclist, 08/27/00 1st in Pan American Championships, MTB, Puerto RicoCanadian Cyclist - Pan Am Mountain Bike Championships Cross-country, Canadian Cyclist, 08/8/00 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, CACanadian Cyclist - Napa World Cup: Complete Results, Canadian Cyclist, 04/8/01 1st in Camp Fortune/Quebec Cup #3, Camp Fortune, QCCanadian Cyclist - Coupe de Quebec Results, Canadian Cyclist, 06/2/01 2nd in Canada Cup MTB XC#1, Hardwood Hills, ONCanadian Cyclist - Canada Cup XC #1 Results, Canadian Cyclist, 06/10/01 2nd in Canada Cup MTB XC#2, Mont-Tremblant, QCCanadian Cyclist - Mont Tremblant Canada Cup XC #2, Canadian Cyclist, 06/16/01 13th in World Cup MTB XCO#4, Grouse Mountain, BCCanadian Cyclist - Grouse World Cup XC - Women, Canadian Cyclist, 07/8/01 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#3, Fernie, BCCanadian Cyclist - Canada Cup XC #3 Full Results, Canadian Cyclist, 07/17/01 2nd in Canada Cup MTB XC#4, Calgary, ABCanadian Cyclist - Canada Cup XC #4 Results, Canadian Cyclist, 07/24/01 5th in National Championships MTB, Kamloops, BCCanadian Cyclist - MTB National Championships: XC Results for Pro Women, Canadian Cyclist, 08/5/01 DNF in Canada Cup MTB XC#5, Sun Peaks, BCCanadian Cyclist - Canada Cup XC #5 Results, Canadian Cyclist, 08/11/01 15th in World Cup MTB XCO#8, Mont Sainte-Anne, QCCanadian Cyclist - Mont Ste Anne World Cup Final, Canadian Cyclist, 08/26/01 1st in Quebec Cup, MTB XC, Bromont, QC 1st in Pan American Championships, MTB, BrazilCanadian Cyclist - Panam championships Brazil, Canadian Cyclist, 11/19/01
2002 29th in World Cup MTB XCO#1, Madrid, SpainCanadian Cyclist - World Cup MTB #1 - Women's Race, Canadian Cyclist, 05/19/02 16th in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Houffalize, BelgiumCanadian Cyclist - Houffalize World Cup Belgium, Canadian Cyclist, 05/26/02 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#2, Hardwood Hills, ONCanadian Cyclist - Canada Cup #2 Hardwood Hills, Ontario, Canadian Cyclist, 06/1/02 5th in Canada Cup MTB XC#3, Mont-Tremblant, QCCanadian Cyclist - Canada Cup #3 Mont Tremblant, QC, Canadian Cyclist, 06/8/02 2nd in National Championships MTB, Kamloops, BCCanadian Cyclist - Mountain Bike Nationals - XC Results , Canadian Cyclist, 07/21/02 7th in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Mont Sainte-Anne, QCCanadian Cyclist - Mont Ste Anne World Cup - Cross-country #3, Canadian Cyclist, 07/3/02 DNF World Cup MTB XCO#4, Grouse Mountain, BCCanadian Cyclist - Grouse Mountain World Cup Complete Women's Results, Canadian Cyclist, 07/6/02 4th in Commonwealth Games MTB, Manchester, UKCanadian Cyclist - Commonwealth Games: Women's XC, Canadian Cyclist, 07/29/02 16th in World Championships MTB, Kaprun, AustriaCanadian Cyclist - Mountain Bike World Championships Kaprun Austria, Canadian Cyclist, 09/1/02 9th in World Cup MTB XCO#5, Les Gets, FranceCanadian Cyclist - MTB World Cup Final : Women's XC Les Gets, France, Canadian Cyclist, 09/8/02 3rd in Canadian Championship Cyclo-Cross, Elite Women, St. Augustin, QCCanadian Cyclist - National Cyclo-cross ChampionshipsSt-Augustin, Quebec, Canadian Cyclist, 11/3/02
2003 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#1, Bromont, QCCanadian Cyclist - Canada Cup #1 Bromont - XC Results, Canadian Cyclist, 05/17/03 22nd in World Cup MTB XCO#1, St. Wendel, GermanyCanadian Cyclist - St. Wendel World Cup, Canadian Cyclist, 05/25/03 9th in World Cup MTB XCO#2, Fort William, ScotlandCanadian Cyclist - Fort William World Cup #2 Fort William, Scotland, Canadian Cyclist, 05/31/03 1st in Canada Cup MTB XC#3, Mont-Tremblant, QCCanadian Cyclist - Canada Cup XC#3 Mont Tremblant, QC, Canadian Cyclist, 06/9/03 5th in World Cup MTB XCO#3, Mont Sainte-Anne, QCCanadian Cyclist - Mont Ste. Anne -Women's XC, Canadian Cyclist, 06/29/03 n/a in World Cup MTB XCO#4 Telluride, CO, (event cancelled)