Richard Virenque (born November 19, 1969, Casablanca, Morocco) is a retired French professional road racing cyclist. He was one of the most popular French riders with fans for his boyish personality and his long, lone attacks. He was a climber, winning the King of the Mountains competition of the Tour de France a record seven times. In 1998 he was the central figure in a widespread doping scandal.
Virenque finished twice on the podium in the Tour de France (third in 1996 and second in 1997) and won several stages, among them Mont Ventoux in 2002. He is the 18th rider in the Tour to have won stages over 10 years apart.
Read more about Richard Virenque: Childhood, Early Career, Professional Career, Festina Affair, Post-trial Reaction, Post-suspension Career, Retirement, Personal Life, Palmarès, Tour De France, Books
Famous quotes containing the word richard:
“If thee thy brittle beauty so deceives,
Know then the thing that swells thee is thy bane;
For the same beauty doth, in bloody leaves.
The sentence of thy early death contain.”
—Sir Richard Fanshawe (1608–1666)