‘Mom and Dad made no secret of what was going on’: Stephanie and Eddy Planckaert

Eddie

“A birth is always exciting, but Stephanie’s was even more so. A few years earlier, Christa and I had lost a child after seven months of pregnancy. Then with the next pregnancy you will always be afraid that things might go wrong again. Only when she was actually in my arms did I feel completely at ease.

“Stephanie’s birth was the first I ever experienced. Francesco was born in the middle of the cycling spring. And at that time, as a rider you couldn’t just quit because you were going to become a father. Stephanie was born at the end of December, which was better in terms of timing. Did we plan it that way? I certainly don’t. (laughs) But maybe Christa had thought about that more. Christa had also thought about the name for our daughter: it had to be and it would be Stephanie. For the simple reason that Christa only knew handsome and sympathetic Stephanies in her area. So it was almost inevitable that that name would ensure that our daughter would also become like that.

“I have always encouraged planting in my children. And you really can’t teach them that early enough. For example, I once put Stephanie behind the wheel of our jeep during a trip to our sawmill in Lithuania. In the snow, in the middle of a forest. She was about six years old at the time and I had to drive her to our house, a few kilometers away. Of course she was scared, and of course she was panicked, but she did get us home. Doing things like that at a young age has taught all three of our children to take responsibility. I’m proud of that. I was raised that way too: I didn’t have a father who did things for me. That has made me a plant puller.

“When I started sawmilling in Lithuania and Poland after my cycling career, I did it mainly for my family. The plan was to give all three of my children a factory. But that went completely wrong. Also the reason why I still work every day and why I have been almost continuously busy for the past twenty years. I want to make up for what went wrong.

“After the bankruptcy of those factories, I was in very deep trouble. And even though she was only 13 or 14 years old at the time, Stephanie pulled us through that period. After the last visit to my accountant, when it became clear that nothing could be saved, I stayed in the car with her for a long time. We then talked very openly and honestly about what to do next. That conversation was one of the things that gave me the courage to persevere.

“I am very proud of my children. On what they have achieved and the way they approach life. But I won’t tell them that anytime soon. I also mostly remained undecided about the race performance of Mageno or Devon. It’s simple, only if they win it’s good enough. That’s how we Planckaerts are structured. We don’t do compliments. Or very rarely. The advantage of this is that if such a compliment does come, you at least know for sure that it is sincere.”

Stephanie

“Dad was often away when I was little. First for the race, then for the sawmills. I didn’t have much trouble with that. I especially remember that there was a party every time he came home. Then mom provided snacks that we could eat on the couch to make it complete. My brothers and I had a carefree childhood. We lived in a fantastic place: an old farm in Poeke (in East Flanders, near Aalter, ed.), at the end of a cul-de-sac, surrounded by fields. To us it felt like a gigantic playground.

“Dad may not have always been there, but he was certainly not an absent father. On the contrary. For example, when we went on a school trip, he wanted to know everything about it. Where exactly we were going, how transport was arranged and who would provide guidance. He could be very concerned about things like that.

“I didn’t get much from Dad’s cycling career. I noticed at school that the children in my class thought it was special that my dad was Eddy Planckaert, but cycling actually did not interest me. Also because it was absolutely not a sport for women at the time. I did have talent, or that’s what Dad always says. When he started walking, I cycled with him. I could also walk fast, Dad told that to anyone who would listen. But the ambition to do something with it was lacking. I mainly walked and cycled because I noticed that Dad liked it.

“When things started going wrong with the sawmills, we as children noticed it fairly quickly. Parents are not robots. When they struggle with something, it seeps through unconsciously. Moreover, we have always been a family that talks openly about things. Not that the entire accounting was suddenly put on the table, but mom and dad also made no secret of what was going on. They told us point blank that things would change. To immediately emphasize that we did not have to worry about that. Because they loved us and would always be there for us. That’s all you need to hear as a child at such a moment.

“That period was of course not fun. But I am convinced that all those problems and the way we dealt with them have made our family bond much closer. That may sound strange, but I actually look back on that time very positively. Without that bankruptcy we would not have been the family we are today. It has also made me who I am today: I don’t fall for trivialities and don’t worry much about small problems. I know there is always a solution for everything.

“That close family bond and the open relationship with my parents helped me when I suddenly became pregnant at the age of 16. I have never been afraid to tell that at home. I knew they would never let me down and would do everything they could to support. I realize that I have been very lucky in that regard. It could have ended completely differently.

“I know it was my father’s dream to move to France with the whole gang. And I also understand why that comes from: when Dad has not seen the grandchildren for a while and we arrive in France, he weeps with joy. But we all have dreams and plans – including the grandchildren, who are increasingly indicating the direction they want to take in their lives. And dad’s castle dream doesn’t necessarily fit into that. The trick is to reconcile all those wishes and dreams in a project that everyone can agree with. We are doing that exercise now.”