Geneviève Jeanson mentoring a pro cyclist helped her get back into racing

Former world champion Geneviève Jeanson announced some big news recently:  she would be returning to racing with Floyd Landis’s new team. However, had she not joined the Cyclists’ Alliance, it may never have happened.

Geneviève Jeanson and Tinker Juarez part of Floyd Landis’s new gravel team

The Cyclists’ Alliance provides support to female cyclists during and after their careers. Their goal is to “level the playing field and help the riders in the women’s peloton make a living from the sport.” One of the resources that The Cyclists Alliance offers to rider members is a mentoring program.

In 2020, Jeanson wrote an open letter to the UCI detailing the abuse she suffered when she was a professional cyclist, and her concern for other cyclists that could be in the same situation. The rider also spoke about how abusers often re-abuse, as was proven in 2016 when her former coach was arrested for domestic violence to his spouse. When she sent it to the international cycling body, she also sent a copy to the Cyclists’ Alliance.

“After I sent the letter, I got familiar with what they were doing for women’s cycling,” she said. “They advertised the mentorship program and I thought that was one of the best ideas ever. I wrote to them again and asked if I could be mentoring. I have a lot of experience with racing, but also on retirement and how to balance life and training.”

Geneviève Jeanson interviewed on new show about the elimination of doping

The Cyclists’ Alliance immediately said yes.

The TCA offers #mentorship; Gen, a retired pro was paired with newer pro, Maaike (intro'ed last week).

"… I came in the program willing to listen & share my knowledge when appropriate, but I gained as much as I shared…" -Gen

To learn more & join: https://t.co/sadu8KmVCc pic.twitter.com/UtU7Y0ffUK

— The Cyclists' Alliance (@Cyclists_All) December 29, 2021

She was then was paired with Dutch pro rider Maaike Coljé. “Being a mentor with them has been a very rewarding and enriching experience!” She added. “I would have loved to have had a women’s mentor when I was starting my cycling career.”

The more and more she spoke with the Dutch rider, the more she felt that something was changing with her mindset about racing.

“I couldn’t have a better partner,” Jeanson said. “She’s great and it’s partly because of her that I went back to racing.”