Vancouver Canucks president Trevor Linden biking the Alps in mountain climb bike race

Jan 16, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Vancouver Canucks fans react during the third period against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Anyone who follows the Vancouver Canucks knows that former player and team president Trevor Linden loves competition, after all he was the driving force behind the team’s best runs at the Stanley Cup in the 1990’s before coming back to be a solid veteran in the end of his career. Now Linden is going to be embracing a new challenge during the offseason, spending a week in the French Alps in a one week bike race.

From The Province:

"Linden will take part in the Haute Route Alps, a seven-day, fully supported climbing-fest in the French Alps that will see 500 amateur cyclists take on more than 900 kilometres of mountain terrain and climbing a combined 21,000 metres over 19 iconic ascents, such as Glandon, Alpe d’Huez and Mont Ventoux. It started in Geneva, Switzerland on Sunday and finishes Aug. 30 in Nice, France.According to the website, the week of climbing is the equivalent of cycling more than twice from sea level to the summit of Mt. Everest.Linden has been registered for the event since last year, but when Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini approached him about taking over the massive job of re-tooling the organization, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to find time for the ride.“With the way my life has worked out, I really thought I wouldn’t be doing this, but the way things have worked out, the people we have in place, it’s pretty quiet, it’s a good window,” Linden said before departing for Europe.“It’ll get me fresh and ready to roll for the season.”Linden has been working long hours at Rogers Arena, but found time to train early mornings and weekends.“I’m really excited,” said Linden, 44, who will be participating in the race with three riding buddies from Vancouver (Geoff Duyker, Wilf Leblanc and Jamie Armstrong).“For me, seeing the world on your bike is really something special, it’s really unique. It’s one of those things where you set a goal. I’m going to ride my bike from Geneva to Nice and every day I get one step closer.”"

Linden has never shied away from risks so it is not a shock that he will be spending some rare vacation time this year doing something that some would never dare to do in a week long mountain climb by bike. If anyone deserves a vacation after a busy offseason in the Vancouver Canucks front office it is Linden, who has had to make several difficult decisions in the past few months and will be coming back to the long process of rebuilding the Canucks back into contenders in not time.

You can read the full story on The Province website where it details Linden’s love for biking amongst other things about the trip, it is a quality read that is worth your time this Monday morning.

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