At 21, Shari Bossuyt looked like a promising new talent in the sport after winning her first pro race at the Watersley Women’s Challenge in 2021. The following year, she added strong results, including second at the Lotto Belgium Tour and a close shot at a WorldTour win. She was seen as a Belgian hope for Paris 2024. But in 2023, she tested positive for a banned substance and received a 2-year suspension, which ended her Olympic dream. Two years later, she returned to racing in Spain, where she crossed in tears after a long silence away from the sport.

On May 4, Bossuyt (Team AG Insurance–Soudal) delivered a big comeback win on Stage 2 of La Vuelta Femenina. She beat Franziska Koch and Évita Muzic in a reduced uphill sprint. The 109.8 km stage from Lobios was hard from the start, with rolling climbs, wet roads, and constant pressure breaking. But the race came alive in the final kilometres on the uphill drag to San Cibrao das Vinas.

Teams like SD Worx-ProTime and Movistar pushed for position, but Bossuyt stayed patient in the reduced group. When the sprint opened, she launched at the perfect moment, came through cleanly, and held her speed to the line to take the win in 03:01:02, ahead of Koch and Muzic. But for Bossuyt, it was more than just a win as at the finish, she broke down in tears as teammates gathered around her.

In her post-race interview, she said. “I think it’s going to take a while to sink in. It was a tough start on the uphill section, and I honestly did not expect to win here. I was quite far back in the group on the climb, but I found space to move forward on the descent. I came through from behind with a lot of speed. Nobody saw that coming.”

She also shared how the team dealt with the day. “We had a plan to set things up for a sprint for me, but I still need to look back and see exactly how it went on that climb — whether there were attacks or not. Luckily, the pace stayed steady, which meant I could hang on and finish it off.” That result even carries more weight when seen in what came before it.

How Bossuyt’s suspension ended her Paris 2024 dream

Shri Bossuyt competed in the Women’s Madison with Lotte Kopecky and finished 10th, and was seen as a strong hope for future Olympic success, especially Paris 2024.

But in March 2023, Shari Bossuyt tested positive for letrozole metabolite during an in-competition control after the Tour de Normandie Féminin. Letrozole is a prohibited hormone-related substance under WADA rules. So, her team, Canyon–SRAM, immediately suspended her due to a zero-tolerance policy, placing her on provisional suspension while the case was reviewed by the French Anti-Doping Agency.

Bossuyt strongly denied any intentional doping. She said she had “never consciously used” letrozole and believed the result came from contamination. She also stated, “In fact, this was the first time I had heard of Letrozole. Fortunately, I am currently well supported. I hope we can clarify soon. But above all, that we can prove that we are not cheaters.” She also chose to step away from racing during the investigation.

As the case developed, she spoke openly about how difficult it became mentally and financially, questioning the way the process was handled and the lack of clarity around proving contamination. As she said, “Not a shred of humanity or nuance, and no dialogue whatsoever. Tell me — how is an athlete supposed to prove that a contamination came from food?”

In the end, she received a two-year suspension, not for proven intent, but under strict liability rules where the presence of a banned substance alone is enough for sanction. That suspension meant she missed the entire Paris 2024 Olympic cycle.

Now, after serving her ban, she was later given a second chance in the sport as she joined Team AG Insuranc –Soudal again in 2025. And now, this win made her comeback feel complete after years of struggle and silence as she eyes the 2028 Olympics.