Jeannie Longo is an absolute legend of French cycling and as she celebrates her 64th birthday today, the Frenchwoman born in Annecy on October 31, 1958 still remains a reference for the youngest. Olympic gold medalist, the athlete has no less than 59 French championship titles, a record that is unlikely to be beaten any time soon! Alongside the many joys she was able to experience in her sporting career, she was also marked by several events.
In 2015, Jeannie Longo had the misfortune to do the show’s adventure droppedwhose filming in Argentina turned into a nightmare when a helicopter crash claimed the lives of 10 people, including former swimmer Camille Muffat. “We can’t forget that… Exactly, the other day, I saw images of Florence (Arthaud)… No, we don’t forget. Let’s say that life goes on despite everything, but it’s deep trauma”she confided to The Magazine Team in 2016. Discreet about her private life, the champion has been married for many years with Patrice Ciprelli, who also acted as coach of the Frenchwoman. In 2012, the couple will experience a traumatic situation when the latter is taken into custody and then charged after he admitted to buying EPO, a doping product, in Turkey for his personal use.
Patrice Ciprelli accused of buying EPO
Patrice Ciprelli was then released and placed under judicial supervision, then suspended from his duties as a technical officer by the Ministry of Sports. A very complicated period for Jeannie Longo and according to Me Bruno Ravaz, one of her husband’s lawyers, the cyclist was “totally collapsed” following this case. “It’s so contrary to her values that it’s unimaginable. For her, it must be a kind of betrayal, but I think at the same time, she wants to brace herself to defend her husband. She’s a sportswoman who is in the fall, even winter of his career, and who needs to refocus on his private life”had continued the lawyer at the material time.