Vallières: "The world title taught me to believe in myself."

"What an incredible year. It flew by in a flash. It still seems like just yesterday when I showed up at the start line in Kigali with a very specific mission in mind. Since winning the UCI Road World Championships last September, my life has changed dramatically. That victory was a surprise to me, and I think to much of the cycling world as well."

"There are days when I feel completely overwhelmed," the reigning world champion continued, "days when I enjoy all of this, days when it's incredibly difficult, and days when I dread the moment when all of this will end."

"My role in many of the races with my team, EF Education-Oatly , has changed, and I'm still learning. It's been great to see what I can do in the final stages of races. I'm grateful to my team for not letting me rush things and for teaching me step by step how to get where I want to be."

"Of course, being the defending champion on home soil brings a lot of pressure. But it's also the opportunity of a lifetime. Wearing the number one in front of my family, my friends and all the people who helped me get to where I am today is something that really brings me full circle.

It's a truly special course, where so many runners can shine, and that will make the race extremely interesting. What excites me most about racing the World Championships in Montreal is competing in front of the Canadian crowd." "Whatever happens on race day, I can say I enjoyed every single moment," Vallieres concluded.