40 Facts About Richard Virenque

Richard Virenque was born on 19 November 1969 and is a retired French professional road racing cyclist.

Richard Virenque was one of the most popular French riders with fans for his boyish personality and his long, lone attacks.

Richard Virenque was a climber, best remembered for winning the King of the Mountains competition of the Tour de France a record seven times, but he is best known from the general French public as one of the central figures in a widespread doping scandal in 1998, the Festina Affair, and for repeatedly denying his involvement despite damning evidence.

Richard Virenque's mother described Richard as a gentle, kind boy, full of life, who enjoyed helping her in the garden.

Richard Virenque told a court during the Festina doping inquiry :.

Jacques and Berangere Richard Virenque divorced soon afterwards and Richard Virenque said he was devastated.

Richard Virenque couldn't stand being in school any longer than he had to, he said, and he left to work as a plumber.

Richard Virenque rode for the Velo Club Hyerois from the age of 13 where, encouraged by his grandfather, he took out his first licence with the Federation Francaise de Cyclisme Richard Virenque said he knew he could climb well from the start.

Richard Virenque then did his national service in the army battalion at Joinville in Paris to which talented sportsmen were often sent.

Richard Virenque spent his last period as an amateur with the ASPTT in Paris.

Richard Virenque rode his first Tour de France in 1992 as a replacement for another team member, Jean-Philippe Dojwa.

Richard Virenque held it for a day, losing it next day to his team-mate Pascal Lino, who led for the next two weeks.

Richard Virenque was sought by several teams after his first Tour and Cyrille Guimard said at the world championship at Benidorm that he had arranged for him to join his Castorama team, where he would replace Laurent Fignon.

Richard Virenque stayed there until the team dissolved in the wake of a doping scandal in 1998.

Richard Virenque first wore the yellow jersey of the Tour de France in 1992 and for the last time in 2003.

Richard Virenque was coached for time-trials by Jeannie Longo and her husband.

Richard Virenque finished twice on the podium in the Tour de France and won several stages, among them Mont Ventoux in 2002.

Richard Virenque is the 18th rider in the Tour to have won stages over 10 years apart; he wore the Maillot Jaune for two days in his entire career.

Franco Polti, the head of Richard Virenque's team, fined him 30 million lire.

Richard Virenque rode, at his team's request, on a bicycle painted white with red dots to resemble the polka dot jersey worn by the leader of the mountains classification and he travelled between stages with a bodyguard, Gilles Pagliuca.

Richard Virenque wrote that his team-mates confessed to using EPO because of pressure from the police.

Richard Virenque said Moreau's urine showed EPO had not been detected.

Richard Virenque was a witness with others from the former Festina team.

Richard Virenque was criticised by the media and satirists for his denial in the face of increasing evidence and his pretence of having been doped without his knowledge.

Richard Virenque lived near Geneva in Switzerland and the Swiss cycling association suspended him for nine months.

Richard Virenque was fined the equivalent of 2,600 euros and told to pay 1,300 euros in costs.

Richard Virenque said she would stay with him and support him only if they moved back in the south of France after four years in Switzerland.

Richard Virenque was desperate to help us even though we didn't really need any help.

Richard Virenque spent the whole day taking the furniture apart and putting it back together again.

Jean Delatour, with whom Richard Virenque trained in the winter, said it could be interested if it found more sponsorship.

Van Impe criticised Richard Virenque for being opportunistic rather than the best climber; he said he had himself refrained from breaking Bahamontes' record himself out of reverence.

Richard Virenque ran into trouble again in 2002 when he appeared on a television programme, Tout le Monde en Parle, in June.

Ardisson said that Richard Virenque asked after the recording finished that his answer be cut out.

Richard Virenque rode the Olympic Games road race in Athens and decided to retire, a decision he announced at the Olympia theatre in Paris on 24 September 2004.

Richard Virenque's wife had suggested continuing one more season, he said.

Richard Virenque has promoted an energy drink and a pharmacy company.

Richard Virenque took part in the Spa 24 Hours endurance race in 2005.

On 11 August 2006, Richard Virenque was taken to hospital at Moutiers and transferred to Grenoble after falling during a mountain-bike race at Meribel.

Richard Virenque broke his nose and needed 32 stitches to his face.

Richard Virenque is fond of marmots, dancing, wine, gardening and flowers; he is quoted as saying, "Put me in a good garden nursery and I'm in heaven,".