Geneviève Jeanson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Geneviève Jeanson

Jeanson at the 2002 Women's Challenge
Personal information
Born	(1981-08-29) August 29, 1981 (age 43) Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
Team information
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider

Geneviève Jeanson (born August 29, 1981) is a former professional bicycle racer from Quebec, Canada. She was a very talented cyclist who won many races when she was younger. For example, in 1999, she won the world junior championships in both road racing and time trials. She also won the Tour de Snowy and a big World Cup race called La Flèche Wallonne in 2000.

After her cycling career, Geneviève lived in different places like Phoenix, Arizona, and San Diego, California. She studied sociology and psychology. In 2012, she moved back to Lachine, Quebec, to be with her family and finish her college studies. Later, she studied neuroscience at Concordia University in Montreal. Today, Geneviève works in the fitness industry.

Becoming an Olympic Cyclist

Geneviève's career often involved discussions and disagreements. Before the Olympics in 2000, there was a debate about how athletes were chosen for the Canadian team. Geneviève felt the rules, which looked at results from 1999 and 2000, were unfair to her because she had raced as a junior in 1999.

To qualify, she and the Canadian Cycling Federation agreed she needed to finish in the top eight in two out of five special races. She did this by winning the Tour de Snowy and La Flèche Wallonne Féminine. Then, in July 2000, she secured her spot by finishing ahead of other cyclists in the Canadian Road Cycling Championship.

Her Time at the 2000 Olympics

Even at the Olympics, there were discussions about her performance. During the road race, her teammate Lyne Bessette was ahead in a small group of riders. Some people said that Geneviève, following her coach's instructions, helped chase down this group, which might have stopped her teammate from winning a medal.

However, Geneviève's supporters said she was just riding near the front, as expected, to help her team. They explained she only moved forward to close a small gap when the leading group was almost caught by the main pack.

Amazing Wins in 2001

In 2001, Geneviève had an incredible year. She won four out of five stages at the Redlands Bicycle Classic, finishing almost 10 minutes ahead of everyone else. This was a huge win!

Then, at the Tour of the Gila in May, she won four out of five stages again, taking the overall victory by an amazing 15 minutes. Sometimes, she would ride away from the other cyclists early in a race and stay ahead all by herself. In June, she won the Montreal World Cup race, even lapping (passing) most of the other riders and winning by more than seven minutes.

Challenges and Retirement

Geneviève Jeanson with her coach André Aubut

Towards the end of 2003, while getting ready for the world championships, Geneviève had a blood test that showed a high level of red blood cells. This meant she couldn't race for two weeks and missed the championships. She said this was because she used a special tent that helps athletes train at high altitudes. Later tests showed normal results.

In 2005, Geneviève had another test that showed a problem with a substance that athletes are not allowed to use. She said she had not taken anything forbidden. However, in January 2006, she announced she was stopping her cycling career. In November 2006, the United States Anti-Doping Agency announced she had accepted a two-year break from racing, starting from the day of her test in July 2005.

In an interview in December 2006, Geneviève said she would "never race again," even though her break would end in mid-2007. She mentioned she had changed a lot and found it hard to imagine her old life. She later admitted to a journalist that she had used substances that were against the rules. Her coach, André Aubut, and doctor, Maurice Duquette, were later banned from sports for life in 2009.

Movie Inspired by Her Life

In 2014, a movie called The Little Queen (La Petite reine) was released. This film was inspired by Geneviève's life story. In the movie, her character's name is Julie Arseneau, played by actress Laurence Leboeuf.

Major Achievements

See also

• List of doping cases in cycling