Geneviève Jeanson and Lyne Bessette have ended their decades-long feud
The two cyclists reunited and have made amends
Photo by:
Lyne Bessette/Facebook
They say time heals. Well, in the case of some of the best female cyclists in Canada in the aughts, Geneviève Jeanson and Lyne Bessette, this has certainly proved to be the case. Both riders come from Quebec and rose to stardom in the late ’90s, achieving international results, making the Olympic team…and eventually creating an arch-rivalry that was well documented in the press.
The two would spar on the bike on and off the bike for the years that followed. When they both retired, Bessette was still upset over Jeanson’s doping past. However, once Jeanson opened up more about her abusive coach who manipulated her into using EPO, things changed.
Jeanson herself said that her doping positive meant she could turn her life around. “I swear, it’s the best thing that ever happened to me,” she said to LaPresse. “Failing this doping test relieved me. It meant I could finally stop cycling and leave my coach. My life was so difficult at the time that it was only a small inconvenience in comparison. I was ready to see my name sullied forever rather than continue living with it.”
Ultimately, Bessette reached out to her, but it took some time for them to get ahold of each other.
“I always tried to communicate with her, but the emails never went through,” Bessette said.
Eventually Bessette learned more and more through Jeanson’s public statements about doping and the details about her abusive coach. Bessette then reached out on Facebook. “We weren’t friends, but I just said, ‘Congratulations on your gym, you look good, glad you know your life is going well.’ She answered me right away. She told me it would be fun to meet and go for a drink.”
Geneviève Jeanson: my EPO test was the best thing that ever happened to me
On Saturday, the two met in the Beauce region of Quebec for a gravel race, La Buckland sur gravelle.
Jeanson and Bessette are all smiles in a photo posted on Instagram.
“My heart is full. What you see in this picture is more than just smiles, you see years of personal growth between the both of us. Thank you Lyne Bessette for sending me that first message and being so kind, I found another piece of myself thanks to you.” Jeanson posted.
Bessette posted the same photo. “More than 20 years have passed since then last time we met. And now I find a beautiful young woman with a huge heart! A day that will be forever etched in my memory. Thank you Geneviève Jeanson!”
