Femke Van den Driessche Biography: Age, Career, Net Worth, Husband, Instagram, Ethnicity

Femke Van den Driessche is a talented former Belgian professional cyclist known for her achievements in cyclo-cross, mountain biking, and road racing during her junior and under-23 years.

She made history as the first cyclist officially sanctioned for mechanical doping after a hidden motor was discovered in a bicycle linked to her at the 2016 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, leading to a six-year ban and the stripping of her titles.

Profile

• Full Name: Femke Van den Driessche
• Born: August 27, 1996
• Age: 29 years old
• Birthplace: Asse, Belgium
• Nationality: Belgian
• Ethnicity: Caucasian
• Occupation: Former Professional Cyclist
• Height: Unknown
• Religion: Christianity
• Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Van den Driessche
• Siblings: Niels Van den Driessche (brother)
• Spouse: None
• Children: None
• Relationship: Single
• Net Worth: $500,000 USD

Early Life and Education

Femke Van den Driessche is a talented former professional cyclist. She was born on August 27, 1996, in Asse, Belgium. Raised in a family connected to cycling, with her brother Niels also competing, she grew up immersed in Belgium’s strong cycling culture. She began competing at a young age, showing talent in junior categories.

Details about her formal education remain limited, as her focus shifted early to intensive training and racing in cyclo-cross, mountain biking, and road disciplines. Her ethnicity is Caucasian. Her religion is Christianity.

Career

Femke Van den Driessche first rose to prominence in junior cycling. She won the Belgian national cyclo-cross championship in the girls’ youth category in 2011 at age 14. In 2013, she claimed the national mountain bike championship as a junior.

Moving to the under-23 level, she secured the European Cyclo-cross Championships title in 2015 and the Belgian under-23 cyclo-cross championship in 2016, though both were later stripped due to sanctions. She also competed on the road, winning the provincial time trial in the novices category in 2012 after a second-place finish the previous year, and participated in races such as the BeNe Ladies Tour and the Diamond Tour in 2015.

Her career ended abruptly in 2016, following the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Zolder, where a concealed motor (Vivax system with a battery in the seat tube) was found on a bike in her pit area during a routine check.

This marked the first confirmed case of mechanical doping in cycling history. She claimed the bike belonged to a friend and was placed there by mistake, but the UCI imposed a six-year ban from October 2015 to October 2021, fined her 20,000 Swiss francs, and disqualified all results from that period. She did not contest the decision and retired from competitive cycling. The incident drew global attention and prompted stricter UCI detection measures.

Awards and Nominations

• Belgian National Cyclo-cross Champion (Junior, 2011) – later context noted
• Belgian National Mountain Bike Champion (Junior, 2013)
• European Cyclo-cross Champion (Under-23, 2015) – stripped
• Belgian Cyclo-cross Champion (Under-23, 2016) – stripped

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @_femkevanderveen

Personal Life

Femke Van den Driessche is currently 29 and has kept her private life out of the public spotlight, with no records of marriage, partnerships, or children. Currently single, she has maintained a low profile since her retirement from cycling.

Her family, including her brother Niels Van den Driessche, supported her early career, and she has focused on personal matters away from media attention in the years following her ban.

Net Worth

Femke Van den Driesschehas an estimated of about US$500,000 USD. Her income historically came from racing prizes, sponsorships during her active years, and any post-retirement activities, though her career was cut short by sanctions.