The Woman Behind Mathieu van der Poel - Roxanne Bertels on Life With a Champion

Most people know Mathieu van der Poel: 10-time world champion and one of the greatest all-round cyclists in history. But this episode isn't about him. It's about the woman by his side.Roxanne Bertels (33, Antwerp) spent six years in marketing at Porsche before her life took an unexpected turn after meeting Mathieu at a work event in Finland.In this episode of Improve You, Roxanne opens up about her personal health journey: from someone who publicly swore she'd never run, to finding genuine joy in running, Pilates, and even cycling. We talk about tracking recovery with WHOOP, regular blood testing, being vegetarian since age 10, cooking for a pro athlete, the stress of the classics season, and the difference between looking healthy and being healthy.Her advice for anyone starting out? "Stick through it. At some point your workout stops being a punishment and that's where the magic happens."What you'll hear:▸ How Roxanne went from "I will never run" to loving running (it took 30+ runs)▸ Why she tracks everything with WHOOP and gets blood tests every 4 months▸ Skipping alcohol for a green recovery score▸ Cooking and nutrition for a pro cyclist and being vegetarian since age 10▸ Sauna and ice bath recovery routines in Spain▸ The yearly stress spike during classics season▸ Looking healthy vs. actually being healthy▸ Her advice for women starting their fitness journeyThis is Optimize You, a Superhlth podcast. Making health personal.