A Tour de France stage at Centre du Vélo 82

This story originally appeared in URBANIA, an online magazine based in Quebec focused on pop culture and society.

“I’ve got a special coffee you can’t find just anywhere,” murmurs Elio Fratangelo with a wink. With a practiced discretion, he pours some Sambuca into a steaming espresso. “This isn’t just a bike shop—it’s more of a bike bar,” he adds, opening a tin of butter cookies.

On the TV at Centre du Vélo 82, a cavernous basement in the eastern part of Rosemont, the Tour de France riders push ahead in a tight peloton, 141 kilometres left before reaching the finish line in Dijon. It’s a sprinter’s stage, promising drama only in the final kilometres. For now, we’ve got time to spare.