Céline Vandenbroucke: panache on displaytage

There are names that, in and of themselves, tell pieces of history. In cycling, Vandenbroucke is one of them. And yet, beyond the heritagetage, there is a woman who traced her route Off the beaten track: Céline. A unique journey, made of broken silences, challenges met, and an engine that never stops running. In her voice, as in her life, there is a fire that never goes out. We met her for an exclusive interview...

By Jeff Tatard – Photos: DR

Born into a dynasty of racers, mechanics, and visceral enthusiasts, Céline grew up in a house where we talked about watts, gears, and breakaways like others talk about the weather.. However, this name that she proudly bears today weighed on her for a long time. I suffered from it, especially during the doping scandals... My name had become almost banned. »

It was in this gray area between admiration and rejection that she built herself. But over time, she knew reconto reclaim this name, to bring it back from noise to brilliance. She has become one of the few who can bridge the gap between the Merckx-Poulidor generation and that of cycling 2.0. Her career is woven with highlights: hostess on major tours, manager of major cycling events, transmitter of memory and builder of connections.

But it was not directly through sport that she first shone.She turned away from it, before going there. reconpowerfully. She owes this comeback to a revelation that occurred in 2013, during her first marathon in New York. A race born of a challenge, almost a provocation: " I wanted to prove to some in my family that I was capable of it, despite being overweight, despite my doubts. »

It was a turning point. Nineteen marathons later, and five half-Ironmans under her belt, Céline has become an athlete of heart and will, driven not by the clock, but by passion. I ran to stay in shape, yes, but above all to feel alive, free, capable. »

She also invested this surpassing in her professional life.Since 2016, she has been thriving at Ekoï, the French brand of cycling clothing and equipment. A world in which she has made her mark, thanks to concrete results, innovative ideas, and a network forged over the years. I met my boss at Velofollies. A true professional crush.. »

Despite internal resistance, she was able to make her voice heard, with strong projects: pop-up stores, activations on Zwift, development of social networks... And above all, she was able to rally the biggest names to the brand : Frank Schleck, Johan Museeuw, Bradley Wiggins, Armstrong, Marion Rousse, Bjarne Riis… So many legends who trust him today.

But beyond the professional sphere, these champions have, for many, become his friends. For some, I'm their little sister. For others, their confidante. And for the younger ones, I'm a reassuring godmother in a sometimes ruthless world.. » His view of athletes does not stop at their moments of glory.

She speaks with great sensitivity about the post-career period, that moment when one passes from light to shadow.. " Many find themselves destitute. I try to help them bounce back, find their place again. Their story deserves to be told, even if it belongs to the past. »

Céline was never a professional in the strict sense. Too late, too busy.. But what she accomplishes is nonetheless a feat. When she talks about running 60 kilometers a week, regardless of the weather or the schedule, we understand that sport has become her refuge. I don't have patience, but I do have courage. Discipline helps me clear my mind. It's been my balance since 2014. "Even when she admits her fear of cycling - which she started late in life, at 37, for the needs of the triathlon - she does so with touching sincerity." I dread the descents, the turns... But once I get going, on a route calm, I forget everything. »

This inner fire is not limited to sports. Céline is also a singular voice on social networks, where she goestagShe shares her shopping, her projects, her landscapes, her favorites without filter. She doesn't play a role. She shows what she experiences, without trying to please. Why should I hide my life to avoid jealousy? I'm proud of what I've built. And I want to share it.tagst. » For her, it's also a way to document her journey, to lay down milestones, and perhaps, to show the way to others.

Because Céline is also a passer. She trains, she encourages, she sometimes pushesShe recently convinced a 52-year-old colleague to start running. As a result, she now runs 8 kilometers alone, without fear. It's all mental. We put up barriers for ourselves. I was born to break them down. "And that's true for her own life too. Leaving her region, settling down alone in the south, far from her familiar surroundings, in a small apartment, to live her passion to the fullest. A radical, courageous, and conscious decision.

His greatest pride? Not just the medals. But the fact that he has been able to inspire and bring his loved ones into the sporting adventure. To show that nothing is set in stone. That at 30, 40, or 50, anything is still possible. That age doesn't close any doors. She herself would have liked to live her youth in a more open, more connected era. Today, I would have had my place in women's sport. And I would have loved to use social media to stand out. »

Among all those she met, some names come back with warmth and reconbirth. Marion Rousse, for her natural kindness. Bradley Wiggins, for his charisma. And especially Nico Mattan, " my brother of the heart, the one who opened so many doors for me " In a world that is often codified, sometimes harsh, these precious friendships are like beacons.

So, if Céline had to address the little girl she was, she would say this: “ Believe in yourself. Don't let anyone extinguish you. Don't live through other people's eyes. Shine bright. And stay true to who you are. " She follows this advice today with rare intensity. She moves forward, head held high, heart beating, in a world that doesn't wait but that she has learned to tame.

And the name Vandenbroucke? It still resonates, of course.But today, above all, it tells the story of a woman. A quiet strength. A determination without artifice. An unwavering passion for a sport that she never left, even when it turned its back on her.

What really struck us, beyond the journey, beyond the exploits, was something else. It was the rare, almost unsettling sincerity that we read in the looks of those around him. It could be a facade, or dictated by self-interest—as is often the case in this environment. But not here. In every photo, every testimony, we perceive a true affection, a selfless loyalty. And that, in the show business of sports, is precious.

Bravo Céline, truly. And thank you. Thank you for your unselfish generosity, for your voice, for your energy. Even through a simple exchange, we feel a little privileged. And we leave with the desire to go further. To run further. Or to write better.

That's what Céline is: an assumed light - not to shine at all costs, but to radiate sincerelyA woman who has never cheated, who likes to be where the action is, but who always remains true to who she is. And it's this consistency, this true intensity, that makes her so inspiring.

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