In the early 2000s, Genevieve Jeanson was a rising star in women’s cycling. National titles, World Cup wins, and dominating victories at American classics – the young French Canadian was taking the American and international scene by storm. But her career came to an immediate stop in 2005, when she tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) and retired soon thereafter.

While history quickly wrote her off as a doper, over time we learned that there was a lot more going on than meets the eye. Jeanson revealed that her relationship with coach Andre Aubut was physically and emotionally abusive. EPO had been forced on her since she was just 16 years old, and for over a decade he control her whole life.
As her 10-year ban from competition comes to an end, Jeanson talked to Ella Editor Anne-Marije Rook about making peace with past.