Geneviève Jeanson received a text message from Lyne Bessette on Wednesday morning. She congratulated her on her commitment to Sport’Aide, an organization aimed at preventing violence and abuse in the Quebec sports community.
Jeanson’s response: “You have no idea how good it makes me feel to be in my corner of the ring! »
Unimaginable twenty years ago, when the rivalry between the two cyclists almost divided Quebec, this reconciliation represents an immense relief for Jeanson.
“Looks like here, I have 100% the right to be myself! “, reacted the 41-year-old woman, Wednesday afternoon, on the sidelines of the press briefing where she confirmed her participation in the efforts of Sport’Aide and the Quebec Federation of Cycling Sports (FQSC) to provide a healthy environment for young athletes.
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“It’s the most relaxed press conference I’ve ever had in my life…”, said Jeanson, all smiles, welcoming the few journalists and photographers gathered at the Vaudreuil training studio where she is today. now head coach.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES Lyne Bessette
Conversely, on July 9, the rehabilitated athlete was in her little shoes by going to the Buckland on gravel, a race to which Bessette had invited her a few months earlier.
“It would never have come from me,” she explained in an interview. I would never have written to Lyne because I didn’t want to apologize for having been abused… Do you understand? I can’t because it’s not my fault. But I didn’t see how I was going to say: hi Lyne…”
At the start of the season, Jeanson, a newcomer to the circuit, even wondered how her former rival would react to seeing her bounce back in “her” environment.
“The OG [original gangster, traduction libre : la marraine] gravel, that’s her in Quebec. I didn’t want to piss her off, to be in her paws…”
“I was nervous”
Finally, their meeting before the start of the contested race in the Chaudière-Appalaches region was quite natural.
“It was so smooth It’s like we’ve been friends our whole lives. I was nervous because a lot of things happened. She too is a victim of my trainer. By the tape, she lived full of business, full of anger, because of him. The fact that I fell into doping products, all that, it’s him, I had no choice at all. »
She experienced things that were unnecessary in her life.
Geneviève Jeanson, about Lyne Bessette
That day, Jeanson had a message she wanted to pass on to Bessette: “Lyne, you could have never forgiven me, I would have understood and I would have loved you the same. The fact that you were able to write to me, that you’re happy to see me, I can’t believe it. I would have really understood that you hate me until the end of your life. »
After the 130 km event, where she finished fourth behind Bessette, Jeanson was “burnt like [elle n’a] never been burned [sa] life “. “A lot of it was due to all the emotion. »
A meal in Sutton
Sunday, in the Lac-Brome region, Jeanson was just as surprised to find herself among the 1,100 participants in the 100 to B7, a classic on gravel by Bessette which underlined her 10e presentation. The day before, the former federal deputy for the riding even invited her to a meal at her house with friends in Sutton.
Paul Hillier, the boyfriend de Jeanson, was “pleasantly struck” by the way Bessette put everyone at ease right from the start. “She brought the tension down quickly in this whole process. »
Looking back, Jeanson realizes that the isolation in which her former trainer André Aubut placed her prevented her from discovering even a little the person who was presented as her great rival.
“I don’t know her at all. She was always cast as the enemy a bit. It could have been better, but it’s never too late. »
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS Louis Barbeau, General Manager of the Quebec Cycling Federation, Geneviève Jeanson and Sylvain Croteau, General Manager of Sport’Aide
The fact that life is “not linear” is also one of the messages that Jeanson wishes to convey in his new role with Sport’Aide.
“In my story, I’m lucky to have come out of it whole and healthy. I said to myself: if I have this chance, I have a duty to talk about it. To let people know that you can go through terrible things and still have a wonderful life afterwards. »
Accompanied by Sylvain Croteau and Louis Barbeau, respectively CEO of Sport’Aide and the FQSC, and with Lyne Bessette in her corner, Jeanson now wants to share her journey.
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