| M. Antoine Bedwani, dont François Béliveau de La Presse disait en 1999 qu'il était l'âme du Club Espoirs Laval, est décédé le 16 septembre 2003 suite à des complications durant une opération. Plusieurs personnes ont tenu à lui rendre hommage en affichant un commentaire sur le FORUM de The Canadian Cyclist |
Antoine
September 19, 2003 at 10:50
Antoine loved cycling, plain and simple. He was selfless, always giving back to the sport, housing athletes in his crowded, modest house. Many of these athletes went on to become superb, international riders : Matt Anand, Mike Barry, Geneviève Jeanson, Czelav, Roland Green, Steve Rover, Peter Wedge -- a pretty impressive list!
And then there's a list of domestic riders that have ridden with the team : Lavallée, Randell, Belzile, Hanson, Langlois, and the list goes on and on and on and on...
Good-bye Antoine, you were a true Patron of Canadian cycling. Sometimes eccentric, always passionate, always warm and giving. A wonderful man who will always hold a special spot in cycling in this country.
September 19, 2003 at 13:10
Here here. The passing of a true legend in the cycling ranks. With shoes his size, it would seem impossible that they would ever get filled.
A man who understood rider development.
September 19, 2003 at 13:41 by JDL
Not many of that kind left in this world. Too bad for cycling !
Mr. Bedwani, have a safe ride home and please look after all those young cyclists who will not have the honor and chance to know you.
September 19, 2003 at 22:30 by NBF
I never rode for any of Antoine's teams but he helped me out and gave me rides to races just the same. He was good for the sport, not looking for anything back, though I do remember the glow on his face after Czeslaw's victory in Peterborough. He was a great man for Cycling in Canada.
God Speed.
September 20, 2003 at 17:28 by Eric Wohlberg
Rode today with Espoirs Laval kit in fond remembrance of Antoine.
Few people even try to match his efforts/contributions to Canadian cycling. He was a cornerstone to many of us as we made our way through the ranks.
I have been one of many to benefit from Antoine's (and the Espoir Laval)generosity. Thanks to Antoine, I always had a place to stay, a meal and someone to lend a hand.
All this to someone who was only a guest rider on his team on rare occasions.
Godspeed Antoine.
September 21, 2003 at 15:46 by MJF
'Been following racing since '86. Antoine was always there. Missed him at Beauce and Montreal/Quebec City this summer. Assumed he MUST be ill... Once he referred to a rider as Mister; I came to realize this title represented a covetted degree of respect for an athlete.
Au revoir MISTER Bedwani!
September 22, 2003 at 9:33 by Ross Knight
Antoine Bedwani,
This man did more for Canada than many of us realize. He broke down political, language and sexual boundaries. Look at the names of the people he helped. These are just a few, they come from many provinces and speak different languages. Not only did Antoine recognize athletic talent but he also made you feel good. He made you feel important. During the 1990's, I managed a mainly English men and women's team that traveled and raced in both Ontario and Quebec (also the Canada Cup series). To me it seemed that Antoine went out of his way to make us feel welcome. I soon realized that he was not going out of his way. It was just the type of person he was. Years later when my wife and I attended a race on Mt Royal, Antoine spotted me and came right over asking how I was, what I was doing, all this while he was "working". He knew how to make people feel good. Some of us have come and gone from the sport but Antoine was always there.
You will be missed but certainly never forgotten.
Ross Knight
September 22, 2003 at 12:00 by Charlie Gorman
Antoine's support of young riders was extraordinary. When my brother and I joined Espoir Laval, we discovered what is was really like to be part of a team. His encouragement of up-and-coming athletes, and his enthusiasm for the sport will be missed.
Thank you Antoine.
September 22, 2003 at 12:32 by Andy Lamarre
Canadian cyclist lost one of the best man that ever worked for this sport. I remember him at the Montreal velodrome, he was always there helping every one, not only the member of his team, "ESPOIR LAVAL". I have never heard this man say anything bad about any one, the only thing he always said, was GOOD THING. I raced for Espoir Laval as a veteran for many years and this man was always there to help me and other, carrying spares wheels, giving massage and always asking if you were OK. Hope you have a safe ride in the other world. I will see you there some day and if you want me to race for you, I'll always be ready.
Andy Lamarre.
September 22, 2003 at 14:58 by Craig Burge
I remember meeting Mr. Bedwani back in the late 70's during the Tour of Abitibi.
He has always been there.
We also referred to him as an affectionato of the sport.
I was honoured in the late 80's when I was beginning to enter into the work force and become a weekend warrior that Antoine called me to join his team as a rider/mentor.
This season I missed seeing him at the races.
Now I will miss seeing him every season...
God Bless!!
September 24, 2003 at 12:37 by God Bless Antoine.
You were always a gentleman and a pleasure to have as a Team Manager at any event. We will not forget the extraordinary care you took of your riders both at the races and behind the scenes.
Your sense of fairplay and your encouragement to all in the name of cyclesport is legendary.
With a thorough knowledge and love of the sport, you gave of yourself 200% for the sake of others. You were loved and appreciated.
You will be missed. Adieu fine friend.
Valerie and Keith Davidge
Farewell M. Bedwani
September 25, 2003 at 20:51 by P.McC
I met Antoine for the first time nearly 30 years ago and our paths have crossed many times since then. He was always in the process of doing something extra for his Espoirs de Laval riders and was constantly encouraging and motivating them. He was a strong advocate of supporting organizers and, more than once, he went out of his way to bring his team to races I was promoting. Whenever we both happened to be at the same venue, he took the time to contact me and have a chat. He was a real, gentle man. I'll remember him with affection.
For a brief bio and a photo, go to http://www.oocities.org/veloptimum/Espoirs/Bedwani.html
September 26, 2003 at 10:18 by Ed Arzouian
Very sad to hear of the passing of Mr. Bedwani, "Bed" as I learned riders called him when I was a junior in 1978 and met him for the first time either at a Tour du Lac St. Jean or Abitibi.
Few people worked harder for or were more devoted to the sport than him.
Later, when we were both managing teams, we would often discuss ways we thought we could improve things. Mr. Bedwani was always looking for an opportunity to take his Espoirs team to another level.
Sometimes I would get calls from him with concerns or a heads up on a problem or situation he felt we had to look out for.
This last year when I ran into mutual acquaintances we had that I had not seen for awhile I would think of asking them about Mr. Bedwani but I knew he was in poor health and was afraid of the answer I might get.
Mr. Bedwani will be missed by everyone at our races which is sad. Even sadder is that no more big busloads of cadets and juniors will be piling into that big old Espoirs Laval van with him and driving around to all those provincial races every weekend, learning how to ride.
So Long Antoine
September 26, 2003 at 16:23 by Frank Fogolin
I met Antoine Bedwani in 1985 (I'm sure it was,) at the G.P. Marc Blouin in Quebec City and many more times thereafter at Nats and such. The Antoine that I knew was an awesome person and a real cog in Canada's cycling wheel. He was a big-time supporter of young cyclists in Quebec, but also in Canada, who was willing to share help, wheels, food and support for anyone who was competing. When Ontario and Quebec were racing together and against each other in the 80's especially, we could always be assured of working with Antoine to make EVERYONE performed at their best level, and it became very easy to work with him. Antoine was always ready with conversation, commiserations, and a good word for the opposition. Though I only saw Antoine during the cycling season and perhaps at the CCA AGM, he was certainly someone I looked out for at races so that I could spend some quality time with a quality person. The sport of Cycling always seemed to be better with him around.
His immediate family, his cycling family in Quebec and cycling in Canada has lost a wonderful person and someone I will always remember.
Frank Fogolin
September 27, 2003 at 22:06 by Kris Westwood
I had the pleasure of racing on Antoine's team in 1992 and part of 1994. He was the kind of guy who would bend over backwards to make his riders happy, to the point that you felt guilty asking him for anything because you knew he would move heaven and earth to get it.
With very limited resources, he built one of the strongest teams in Quebec and the country -- this, during the glory days of Evian, Magicuts and the Canadian Tire series.
Antoine had his own way of doing things, which could be frustrating at times. Once, at Lac St. Jean, he handed us Diet Pepsi during the race, but you just couldn't get upset with him because he worked so hard for the team. He also snored so loudly that nobody could share a room with him, so, rather than spend club money on a single room, he spent many nights sleeping in the team van or in a cot in the hotel hallway.
Looking through photos from when I started racing in the mid-80s, it's amazing how many of them have Antoine somewhere in the background, well before I had even met him. I'm sure the same is true for many cyclists over the past 30 years, and his memory will live on for many years to come with the people whose lives and careers he touched.
Cheers, Antoine.
Kris W.
PS. It would be nice to have somewhere to send photos so they can be posted for people to see.
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