Sheltered from the wind: Victoire Berteau

I followed a fairly typical path to begin with. Primary school, secondary school, sixth form – just like everyone else. I’m originally from the North; I was born in Douai. In my second year of sixth form, I joined the Pôle France in Bourges, at the CREPS. That’s where things really started to take shape.

At 18, I turned professional with a Belgian team, before joining Cofidis in 2022. For me, Cofidis was almost a given. It’s a team from the north; I grew up watching the Tour de France with that team. When the women’s team was set up and I was offered a place, I didn’t hesitate for a second.

 Yes, without a doubt: my French championship title.

It came straight after the Tour de Suisse. I was exhausted, both mentally and physically. But I was lucky enough to arrive early for the championships, which were being held near my home. At the time, I lived about forty kilometres from Cassel, so I knew the course very well; I’d recce’d it several times.

It was on home turf, in front of my parents. And above all, it was one of the rare occasions when my father came to watch me race. Everything fell into place perfectly. I felt immense joy, but also great relief, and above all, pride.

My older brother. When we were younger, we didn’t get on at all. He was cycling with a club nearby, my older sister was doing dance classes, and I was bored at home.

I wanted to follow in my big brother’s footsteps, and that’s how I got started. Ironically, he stopped shortly afterwards. Today, we get on really well, but back then, it was rather… tense. Let’s just say we used to have proper fights.

Yes, Marion Borras. I met her before the Tokyo Olympics, at a time when I was feeling a bit lost in my career. She helped me enormously, both as an athlete and as a person.

She helped me open up and understand myself better. Since then, she has become my best friend. She has played a vital role in my personal and professional development.

Yes, Laura Trott, now Laura Kenny.

I’ve always been a fan of hers, especially on the track. Even though she didn’t do a huge amount of road racing, she’s always been a role model for me.

Racing with her, against her, was a really special moment. She’s someone who continues to inspire me today, even after her career has ended. She managed to make a comeback after having children; she’s remained very humble and always respectful. She was a tremendous athlete, but also a wonderful person.

She’s definitely the one who made me want to commit so fully to track cycling.

Track cycling is deeply rooted in Bourges. When I joined Pôle France, it was primarily for the track.

I did my first laps of the track in Roubaix, with my coach at the time, who is now the president of my club, VC Laon. After that, I joined Bourges, then the French junior team, and things just fell into place naturally.

It really depends on the race. I hate getting up very early, obviously. I’m not a morning person.

Usually, I get up about three hours before the start to eat. And most importantly, I put my helmet on very early, about 45 minutes before the race. I hate taking my helmet off and putting it back on, and even more so when my hair’s all over the place. It stresses me out a lot.
Sometimes I even drink my coffee with my helmet on. That way, I’m sure it’s on properly, and that no hair is sticking out.

I love cooking. I spend loads of time trying out new recipes. I started out with baking, and these days I cook even more than I bake.

I love making farfalle, and when it comes to desserts, I’d say tiramisu or cheesecake. Flan, on the other hand, I prefer to buy. I’m too fussy about the vanilla, and at home, it quickly gets very expensive.

It’s not easy at all. Last year, I had a non-stop run of race days, travelling, and training camps with the French national team on the track. Sometimes you’ve got three days between races, but you don’t even go home.

People often tell me I live out of a suitcase. And it’s true: when I get home, it’s never really unpacked, because I’m off again almost straight away.

Since this winter, I’ve decided to make more time for myself and my family. The little free time I have, I spend with my loved ones. I try to recharge my batteries as much as possible with them.

I’m incredibly proud. Cofidis is a team from the north, and I’m from the north. When I first started cycling, the team was already there. I used to watch the men’s Tour de France and dream of wearing that jersey.

When the women’s team was formed, it was never a choice I had to make. It was a no-brainer. I hope to live up to their trust and have a 2026 season that meets their expectations.

My favourite place to train is in Cassel.

And before races, I listen to a lot of Pink.