Christelle Ribault

Christelle Ribault

Personal information
Born	(1978-03-23) 23 March 1978 (age 46) Ermont, France
Team information
Discipline	Track
Role	Rider
Medal record Representing   France World Track Championships 2023 Glasgow Scratch race C2 2024 Rio de Janeiro Scratch race C2 European Para Championships 2023 Rotterdam Road race C2

Christelle Ribault (born 23 March 1978) is a French cyclist.

Biography

Ribault started cycling at the age of 7 at the Sannois club despite suffering from severe epilepsy, then she moved on to track cycling at the Villeneuve-la-Garenne club under the direction of Gérard Van den Abèle. She ranked third in the French National Track Championships, in the 500 m event when she was still a junior, only beaten by Félicia Ballanger and Magali Humbert-Faure. From 1997 to 1999, she spent two years at the Pôle France in Hyères, trained by three-time Olympic champion Daniel Morelon. ^[1]

In February 2016, Ribault found herself paralyzed in her left leg caused by misdiagnosed sciatica caused by a herniated disc and despite four months in a rehabilitation center, she did not regain the use of this leg. ^{[2] [1]} She subsequently competed in para-cycling in the C21 classification. Although her left leg was paralysed, she did not have an amputation and therefore kept two cranks when she raced. ^[1]

References

1. Olivier Haralambon (16 August 2019). "Christelle Ribault, une seconde carrière en paracyclisme". lequipe.fr. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
2. Victor Tassel (2 October 2017). "Villeneuve-la-Garenne : valide ou handicapée, elle règne sur la petite reine". www.leparisien.fr. Retrieved 21 July 2019.