Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe, left, and Parti Quebecois Leader Pierre Karl Peladeau set off on their bicycles in Repentigny, Que., Wednesday, July 29, 2015, for a tour of some regions of Quebec.Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
As rumours of a weekend federal electoral campaign launch continue to swirl, Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe has already hit the road — on a bicycle.
Duceppe left the Montreal-area town of Repentigny this morning and is expected to travel some 100 kilometres and be in Trois-Rivières by the end of the day.
His cycling companion is Parti Québécois Leader Pierre Karl Péladeau and the two will ride through several communities on a day when temperatures are expected to reach 30 C.
Both of the sovereigntist leaders are experienced cyclists. Péladeau made headlines after being injured in a bicycle crash in Quebec's Eastern Townships in May 2014.
Duceppe says he is in good shape as he seeks to silence critics who have questioned his decision to return to politics at the age of 68.
He is often quoted as saying he cycles 20 kilometres a day in the summer and rides a stationary bicycle in the winter to keep fit.