Felipe Timoteo Nystrom Spencer has a special involvement in Cyclocross. The 40-year-old Costa Rican, whose mother has Scandinavian roots, managed to compete in the discipline, often with crowdfunding campaigns.
A charismatic individual, he may not stand out in terms of skill among the top Dutch and Belgian cyclists, but he is, above all, a charismatic person. He often receives affection from Flemish fans and even takes the time for selfies with supporters during races.
This also happened yesterday, but at that moment, it would have been better to look back: Mathieu van der Poel was approaching. To prevent himself from falling to the sloping side, he gave him a push.
Cocaine addiction
The Costa Rican will overcome this push because he has already overcome much worse. He battled depression, lived on the streets, addicted to drugs and alcohol. Things went from bad to worse, with the cyclist even attempting suicide seven times.
In the seventh attempt, he told himself as he prepared the cocaine overdose: If somehow I wake up tomorrow, I will really do something about it. A day later, he woke up and fulfilled the promise he made to himself.
Recovery and Work as an Interpreter
He slowly recovered, moved to America (Portland, Oregon), and discovered sports. In 2014, he won a triathlon, wearing rented neoprene gear and riding a rented bicycle. He increasingly dedicated himself to cycling through the online platform Zwift. His performance was so impressive that he became the national champion in 2019.
After completely overcoming addiction, he also restored family ties, including with his fifteen-year-old son. Today, he works as an interpreter, assisting individuals in hospitals and courts who do not speak English.
