“I couldn’t have dreamed of a better life, and never thought it could unravel the way that it has.”

There are very few people out there who get to live out their dreams on a daily basis. But Jean William Prevost just happens to be one of them. As a professional flatland BMX rider, the 34-year-old has been participating in competitions around the globe for over ten years. He competes full-time while managing his bike part and merchandise brand, IGI. But the road from amateur rider to one of the world’s best has had many stops and detours along the way.

Training Wheels
Growing up in the West Island, Prevost was your average active kid, playing team sports like soccer and hockey. But it was in high school where he decided to stray from the traditional athletic path. “As a kid we all had the opportunity to play team sports like hockey and soccer. I did a lot of that myself, including swimming. But after a while I started to get tired of having a coach breathing down my neck and telling me what to do,” says Prevost. Then one night, the young rider picked up a VHS copy of the 1983 film, BMX Bandits. It sparked an immediate interest, and the tape was never returned. And so, while his teenage peers continued playing organized sports, Prevost was spending all his free hours riding.

As he improved, he began to challenge himself by learning and incorporating tricks. Prevost recalls the initial feeling of freedom and control that BMX riding first gave him.  “What first attracted me to BMX was the liberty it gave me. Things like freestyling allowed me to be creative,” he says. It was love at first ride for the West Island native, but like most childhood hobbies, Prevost’s parents expected his new obsession for the BMX to be just another phase he was going through. “My family first thought it was a phase until I actually started to compete for real back in 2007, overseas, says Prevost. Overseas wasn’t just a short round trip to the United States; it was halfway across the world.

On the World’s Stage
The turning point from hobby to job came when a friend invited Prevost to perform in Asia. “I was working at a bike company in the West Island at the time, and I didn’t think it was really possible to support myself with BMX flatland. I was still doing the 9 to 5 when a friend of mine, who was doing bike shows in Shenzhen asked me to perform with him over there. I spent a lot of time in China on my first trip (eleven months) and that’s what really got me started in doing what I love as a living,” he recounts. Prevost rode his heart out in those early performances and started making a name for himself in the industry.

He also surprisingly found his second home in a country on the other side of the globe. “Of all the places I’ve visited, China is really special to me. I speak the language and I have travelled more within China than Canada. Asia, overall, for me has been really mind-opening,” he says. Evidently, the apple did not fall far from the tree when it came to travelling. “My dad had visited China over a hundred times before he passed away, so it was always a prevalent topic in our house so when the opportunity came, I took it.” Prevost has visited China over 25 times and says he is excited to return as soon as he can.

Champion and Entrepreneur
Since his debut in 2007, Prevost has competed in dozens of tournaments and showcases, climbing the ranks along the way. Some of his achievements include six Indonesia IOXC PRO CLASS championships, two NORA Cups and the honour of being crowned the 2017 Fise/UCI World Series Champion. He has been consistently ranked among the top five BMX flatlanders in the world. This is no small feat as BMX flatland requires incredible agility and strength. Similar to figure skating, every movement is under scrutiny by the scorers. Most flatland competitions are judged on difficulty, consistency and originality. Prevost admits that finding a balance of these elements is key to finishing high on the podium. “There’s a fine line in riding where originality can become sloppy or ugly. If you want to come up with a new trick, it must follow the untold guidelines of what is beautiful. You also have to push the limits of what has been done before,” he explains. Although incredibly difficult, with some tricks appearing seemingly impossible, Prevost seems to have done just fine for himself.

While winning gold never really loses its appeal, the decorated pro decided to set out on a new endeavour in creating his own company. Prevost founded his brand, IGI, back in 2013. The brand features custom bike parts for riders of all levels along with clothing printed by Prevost himself.

The Future of Flatland
As of now BMX flatland is still not recognized as an official Olympic event but the addition of the sport seems a lot more likely than before. “BMX park was supposed to be introduced at the next Olympics (before the postponing) but flatland unfortunately did not make the cut for Paris 2024, so we’ll have to hope to get in for 2028,” says Prevost. After already organizing a few events in the Montreal and Trois-Rivières areas, Prevost is optimistic about the growth of his sport. “I think that big events are important as well as grassroots events. It’s important for our visibility and the legitimization of our sport,” he explains. “That’s why I want to get more involved in the organization of these events and grow the sport locally, so that the younger generation can have fun from the lifestyle I’ve benefited so much from.”

Like so many of us, COVID-19 has been a massive strain on Prevost’s livelihood. Empty sports stadiums and difficult travel restrictions as a result of the pandemic have shaken up the athletic and entertainment industries alike. “Coronavirus has stolen my life from right under me. I’m unable to train at the moment, but I still have an income so I am definitely one of the lucky ones,” says Prevost. Being the optimist that he is, Prevost explains what keeps him motivated: “The thought of being able to make a living from riding my bike… I couldn’t have dreamed of a better life and never thought it could unravel the way that it has. I never thought I’d go pro or start my own brand. It’s been a blessing.”