April 27, 2015 (Montreal, QC) – Geneviève Jeanson has joined the Montreal-based 808 Crit Team according to the team’s Facebook page. “It is with immense pride that we welcome to our 808 Crit Team one of the greatest champion cyclists that Quebec has ever known. Welcome Genevieve Jeanson,” reads a posting made to the team’s page on April 23.

That Facebook posting seems to have been modified since it was first put up with earlier versions also describing Jeanson as: “a two-time world champion; participated in the [2000] Sydney Olympics road race; [women’s] record holder for the Mt. Washington [NH] hill climb; winner of the Fleche de Wallone; and much more…”

Jeanson, 33, is a controversial rider and was once described as “Canada’s golden girl of cycling” after winning both the road race and ITT junior at the UCI World Championships in 1999. There was a subsequent string of successes, but also persistent whispers of doping infractions.

Jeanson demonstrated a very high hematocrit level (red blood cell count; often an indicator of doping) at the 2003 UCI Hamilton Road World Championships. In 2005, she tested positive for the banned red blood cell booster EPO (erythropoietin) in an out-of-competition test in Pennsylvania, but contested that finding. Then, in 2007, Jeanson admitted on TV to having doped with EPO basically all her career.

The 808 Crit Team describes itself as a “fixed gear racing team.” There is also an announcement that 808 Crit Team competed in the Red Hook Crit Series in Brooklyn, NY on April 25. Three team members’ names appeared on the start list there, but not Jeanson.

According to the posted results on the Red Hook website, the men’s crit was won by Ivan Ravaioli (ITA) Bahumer Racing Team while the top Canuck was Montreal’s Christian Trenchev (Team Golden Sports/iBike) who placed 9th and told us, “I was the youngest registered racer. It was my first Red Hook and I hope to defend my top-10 finish at the Red Hook in London in a few months.” Ainara Elbusto (ESP) Conor won the women’s crit while the top Canadian was Daniele Schon (SNCK) in 23rd place. Many cyclists, including the 808 riders, seem to have been eliminated in the qualification rounds.

Despite currently serving a doping suspension, Jeanson could conceivably compete in a special category (i.e. Fixed gear) that is not governed by international sporting bodies. According to the Canadian Sport Sanction Registry of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), Jeanson’s suspension will end in September, 2017.

The team web page is suggestive of being associated with a bike shop called “808” located at 808 Atwater Ave, but Canada411 gives no findings for a bike shop by that name in the Montreal area. A telephone number given on the 808 Crit Team website is also used by the Cycle Technique bike shop on Atwater Ave.

Pedal called Cycle Technique and our call was transferred to 808 Crit Team where “Julien” confirmed that Jeanson has joined the team but was not racing at Red Hook. He explained that she is there primarily to coach younger members of the club. “Genevieve is an excellent person and, whatever happened in the past, she has more than repaid her debt to society. Genevieve is now studying at university. She will be riding for the pleasure of doing so. The competitions we do are not sanctioned [by the UCI]. I simply ask that whatever you write about her be done with respect.”

Red Hook results here.
See the announcement on facebook here.