20 Facts About Jacques Boyer

In November 2002, Boyer pled guilty to seven counts of child molestation and three counts of genital penetration of an underage girl.

Jacques Boyer grew up in Monterey, California and was a member of the Velo Club Monterey there.

Jacques Boyer raced as an amateur in Europe from 1973, after joining the ACBB club in the Parisian suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt.

Jacques Boyer first competed in the Tour in 1981, when the organiser, Felix Levitan, encouraged him to wear not his team jersey but a Stars and Stripes design which suggested that he was the American national champion.

Many have said that Levitan, who looked after the financial aspects of the race while his colleague Jacques Goddet managed the sporting side, saw Boyer as a way to attract further American interest and money.

Jacques Boyer rode the Tour de France five times and finished 12th in 1983.

Jacques Boyer was unusual in refusing to eat meat and became well known for the large quantities of nuts and fruit that he brought to the race.

Jacques Boyer, said Donovan, declined politely and said he preferred to read his Bible.

Jacques Boyer competed in and won the 1980 Coors Classic in the US, and the 1985 Race Across America completing the 3,120 miles in nine days, two hours, and six minutes.

Jacques Boyer's career included 87 amateur victories and 49 professional ones.

Jacques Boyer was inducted into the United States Cycling Hall of Fame in 1998.

Jacques Boyer was expelled from the Hall in 2016 for "ethical issues".

In November 2002, Jacques Boyer pled guilty to seven counts of child molestation and three counts of genital penetration, which began when the victim was eleven and continued for at least three years.

Jacques Boyer was sentenced to a 20-year prison term, which was suspended by the judge pending the successful completion of one year in jail and five years probation.

In 2006, Jacques Boyer participated in the Race Across America again, this time in the new "Solo Enduro" category which requires all participants to use 40 hours of rest during the race at official stations along the course.

Early in the race Jacques Boyer showed he was using a different strategy from other favorites.

Since 2007 Jacques Boyer has lived much of the year in Rwanda where he runs Team Rwanda, a cycling team for Rwandan cyclists, and assists with Project Rwanda, a relief agency focused on providing bicycles and other aid to people in Rwanda.

In 2009 Jacques Boyer completed a motorcycle journey from South Africa to Rwanda on a BMW motorcycle.

Jacques Boyer returned to Wyoming in 2017, but remained as an executive director of Team Africa Rising.

In late 2019, Jacques Boyer published an open letter listing alleged misconduct within the Rwandan cycling federation, which resulted in the resignation of the federation president and his entire executive team.