Yvan Raphanel: the breath of a passion, the heirtagand of a visionary

Yvan Raphanel celebrates his 80th birthday. A meeting orchestrated by his son Frédéric brought together family, friends, former riders and cycling figures to celebrate a man whose life is a hymn to passion and audacity. Behind this anniversary, it is an opportunity for 3bikes and its readers to revisit an extraordinary journey, where the love of cycling was mixed with a deeply humanist philosophy of life...

By Jeff Tatard – Photos: DR

It all began in Riom, in Auvergne, in 1944. Yvan Raphanel was born into a family where cycling was almost a religion. His brothers and father practiced, and from a very young age, Yvan was captivated by the beauty of cycling. His first races shaped him: at 14, he won after a decisive lesson on the art of not turning around in the middle of a breakaway. A first victory, certainly modest, but full of promise.

He was confronted very early with the idea of ​​the fragility of a career. A serious accident with a car door nearly cost his father an arm and a leg. Saved in extremis by a surgical intervention, he bears the scars of this event for the rest of his life. This will not prevent Yvan Raphanel from moving forward, whether on a bike or in business.

From runner to builder

After a youth steeped in sport and a military interlude which took him away from competition, Yvan returned to his first loves. In the 80s, as a business manager in the Paris region, he took up cycling again, tried his hand at amateur racing and, above all, began to see what his true contribution to cycling could be: no longer a racer, but a builder.

After founding an amateur club in the mid-80s (Le Vélo Sport de la Défense), in 1992, at the age of 48, He embarks on an incredible challenge: to create a professional cycling team with limited resources but enormous ambition.. This is how Eurotel was born, a project driven by a visceral passion and a keen sense of mutual aid. Helping others achieve their dreams, without expecting anything in return”, résumé-t-il.

The Eurotel adventure: a lesson in courage

Creating a cycling team in an era where big structures dominate everything is an act of bravery.. Yvan does not let himself be intimidated. Without big sponsors, without bikes and with riders sometimes barely equipped, Eurotel sees the light of day thanks to a network of goodwill and its incredible ability to convince.

For him, cycling is more than a sport: it is a school of life.. He relies on young new professionals and experienced veterans, helping them live their passion in precarious but enriching conditions. We were a team of minimum wage earners, but the spirit of camaraderie and self-improvement that reigned was unique." he recalls.

The Eurotel adventure is marked by incredible beginnings : frames recovered at the last minute, patrons found with a phone call, jerseys delivered urgently to a car parkroute. However, these chaotic beginnings forge a mythical story.

Cycling as a philosophy

For Yvan, Every stage of his life has been an extension of his love for cycling. On two wheels, he learned resilience, discipline and solidarity, values ​​that he passed on to his son Frédéric and to all those who crossed paths with him. route. " Cycling is a school of courage. When you set off alone for 120 km after being dropped, you learn to surpass yourself.he says.

Even Bernard Sainz, nicknamed the Doctor Mabuse for his controversial practices, was among the guests at his birthday party. Yvan explains this choice wisely: " Every person has a place in our lives, whether they bring light or lessons. Bernard was there at important times, and that's what counts."

A heirtagand intangible

Beyond the Eurotel team, what is striking about Yvan Raphanel is his philosophy of life. For him, the most important thing was never to shine or to win, but to transmit. When asked what he would like to be remembered for, he simply replies: " Helping others achieve their dreams"

This humility, coupled with incredible tenacity, makes him a role model. The Eurotel team, although short-lived, left an indelible mark. Some riders, thanks to this adventure, were able to achieve their goals, others found a family there.

A moving meeting

The emotion was palpable at the party organized by Frédéric to celebrate his father's 80th birthday.. Faces from the past, anecdotes bytagées, memories that come flooding back. Yvan, always humble, recalls this meeting as an invaluable gift. I only keep the positive" he said, true to himself.

Frédéric, who followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a respected figure in cycling as a speaker and then a business leader, perfectly embodies this heir.tage. " He dared things I would never have dared.", Yvan confides with undisguised pride.

Life lesson

Yvan Raphanel is above all a story of risk-taking. In sports, in business, in life, he has always chosen to believe in his dreams and to empower others to achieve theirs. Long live risk-taking!“, he summarizes.

As cycling evolved, becoming an increasingly professional discipline, Yvan Raphanel represented an era where passion took precedence over everything. His career, which straddles a tradition of effort and bold modernity, is a source of inspiration for all. By celebrating its 80th anniversary, it is a whole philosophy that we are honoring 3bikes : that of a man who, despite obstacles, always knew how to move forward. One wheel after the other.