Céline Vandenbroucke: a legacy of panache | 3bikes.fr, your Cycling, Gravel & Triathlon magazine

There are names that, by themselves, tell pieces of history. In cycling, Vandenbroucke is one of them. And yet, beyond the legacy, there is a woman who has forged her own path outside of expected routes: Céline. A singular trajectory, made of broken silences, challenges met, and an engine that has never stopped running. In her voice, as in her life, there is a fire that never goes out. We met her for an exclusive interview…

Born into a dynasty of racers, mechanics, and visceral enthusiasts, Céline grew up in a house where watts, gear ratios, and breakaways were discussed as others discussed the weather. Yet, the name she proudly bears today weighed heavily on her for a long time. “I suffered from it, especially during the doping scandals… My name had become almost forbidden.”

It was in this gray area between admiration and rejection that she built herself. But with time, she managed to reclaim this name, bringing it from noise to brilliance. She became one of the few who could bridge the gap between the Merckx-Poulidor generation and that of cycling 2.0. Her journey is woven with strong moments: hostess on major tours, head of major cycling events, memory keeper, and relationship builder.

Where great stories intersect, as here on the podium of the Grand Prix de Montréal during the first of Pogačar’s two victories in this beautiful Canadian city.

But it wasn’t through the direct path of sport that she first shone. She turned away from it, before powerfully reconnecting. This return, she owes to a revelation that occurred in 2013, during her first marathon in New York. A race born from a challenge, almost a provocation: “I wanted to prove to some in my family that I was capable, despite being overweight, despite the doubts.”

It was a turning point. Nineteen marathons later, and five half-Ironmans to her credit, 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.”

During an indoor trainer session, she smiles as always: because beyond the effort, sport has become her balance, her freedom, her joy.

She has also invested this self-transcendence in her professional life. Since 2016, she has thrived at Ekoï, the French brand of cycling apparel and equipment. A world in which she has established herself, through concrete results, innovative ideas, and a network forged over the years. “I met my boss at Velofollies. A real professional crush.”

Despite internal resistance, she managed to make her voice heard, with strong projects: pop-up stores, Zwift activations, social media development… And above all, she managed to rally the greatest to the brand: Frank Schleck, Johan Museeuw, Bradley Wiggins, Armstrong, Marion Rousse, Bjarne Riis… So many legends who now trust her.

With Marion Rousse, it’s a photo that speaks for itself: two strong, respectful women, genuinely linked by a passion experienced… in a feminine way.

But beyond the professional sphere, many of these champions have become her friends. “For some, I am the little sister. For others, the confidante. And for the younger ones, a reassuring godmother in a sometimes ruthless world.” Her view of athletes does not stop at their hours of glory.

She speaks with great sensitivity about the post-career, that moment when one moves from light to shadow. “Many find themselves helpless. I try to help them bounce back, to find a place. Their story deserves to be told, even if it belongs to the past.”

Next to Patrick Lefevere, the friendship is not feigned — it is there, in their gazes and smiles, far from calculations and posturing; a rare, precious, touching sincerity.

Céline has never been a professional in the strict sense. Too late, too busy. But what she accomplishes is nonetheless an exploit. When she talks about running 60 kilometers a week, regardless of the weather or her schedule, one understands that sport has become her refuge. “I have no patience, but I have courage. Discipline helps me clear my mind. It has been my balance since 2014.” Even when she admits her fear of cycling — which she started late, at 37, for triathlon needs — she does so with touching sincerity. “I dread descents, turns… But once I get going, on a quiet road, I forget everything.”

This inner fire is not limited to sport. Céline is also a unique voice on social media, where she shares her races, projects, landscapes, and favorites without filter. She doesn’t play a role. She shows what she lives, without trying to please. “Why should I hide my life to avoid provoking jealousy? I am proud of what I have built. And I want to share it.” For her, it is also a way to document her journey, to set milestones, and perhaps, to show the way to others.

Bradley Wiggins by her side, and nothing to hide: Céline shares everything with accuracy, without filter or calculation, simply true to who she is.

Because Céline is also a facilitator. She trains, she encourages, she sometimes shakes things up. She recently convinced a 52-year-old colleague to start running. The result: today, this woman runs 8 kilometers alone, without fear. “It’s all mental. We put up barriers ourselves. I was born to break them down.” And that also applies to her own life. Leaving her region, settling alone in the south, far from her landmarks, in a small apartment, to live her passion to the fullest. A radical, courageous, assumed decision.

Her greatest pride? Not just the medals. But having inspired and brought loved ones into the adventure of sport. Showing that nothing is set in stone. That at 30, 40, or 50, anything is still possible. That age closes no 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.”

Surrounded by her running friends, she embodies the conviction that nothing is set in stone: that at 30, 40, or 50, everything can still begin — and that momentum often comes from the inspiration of others.

Among all those she has met, a few names come back with warmth and gratitude. Marion Rousse, for her natural kindness. Bradley Wiggins, for his charisma. And especially Nico Mattan, “my soul brother, the one who opened so many doors for me.” In a world often codified, sometimes harsh, these precious friendships are like lighthouses.

With Nico Mattan, it’s more than a friendship: a simple, obvious loyalty that spans the years without need for words. He believed in her when few did. And that, she will never forget.

So, if Céline were to speak to the little girl she once was, she would tell her this: “Believe in yourself. Don’t let anyone extinguish you. Don’t live through the eyes of others. Shine. And stay true to who you are.” This advice, she follows today with rare intensity. She moves forward, head held high, heart beating, in a world that doesn’t wait but which she has managed to tame.

And the name Vandenbroucke? It still resonates, of course. But today, it tells above all the story of a woman. A quiet strength. A determination without artifice. An unwavering passion for a sport 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’s that rare, almost unsettling sincerity that one reads in the eyes of those around her. It could be superficial, or dictated by self-interest – as is often the case in this environment. But not here. In every photo, every testimony, one perceives a true affection, a disinterested loyalty. And that, in the show business of sport, is precious.

With the voices that punctuate our summers, she doesn’t just pose: she belongs to this cycling family that we listen to and which, around her, reveals a true affection – rare in an environment where everything could be just a facade.

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

Céline, that’s it: an assumed light — not to shine at all costs, but to radiate sincerely. A woman who has never cheated, who loves to be where the action is, but who always remains true to who she is. And it is this consistency, this true intensity, that makes her so inspiring.

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