A new 10-storey mural in Montreal’s Plateau neighbourhood honours Quebec cyclist Hugo Houle’s 2022 Tour de France stage victory and its personal significance. The artwork, on Mont-Royal Avenue, depicts Houle pointing skyward as he crossed the finish line in Foix—a tribute to his late brother Pierrik Houle.

As reported by Canadian Cycling Magazine, Pierrik Houle was killed by a hit-and-run driver while jogging in 2012. Hugo Houle, from Sainte-Perpétue, had long promised to dedicate a Tour stage win to him. Montreal-based artists Fred Fuse, Zek One, and Dodo Ose, working as the Project Tyxna collective, painted the 650 m² (6,996.5 sf) mural over a month using scaffolds and lifts.

‘Colourful and glorious’

According to Canadian Cycling Magazine, the project originated with Iberville Developments, the owner of the building. Israeli-Canadian businessman Sylvan Adams backs the firm and also sponsors Houle’s Israel–Premier Tech cycling team.

Houle’s win made him the first Quebecer, and second Canadian, to claim a Tour de France stage. His teammate, Michael Woods, has since joined the list of Canadian stage winners. Houle shared a photo of the mural on Instagram, saying he looked forward to seeing it in person.

“We wanted it to be colourful and glorious,” Zek said. “You had to recognize the portrait, but also build something bigger than the moment.”

The piece joins other Montreal murals honouring athletes, including tributes to Jackie Robinson and Guy Lafleur, but stands out as one of the few celebrating a professional cyclist.