17 Facts About Thierry Claveyrolat

Thierry Claveyrolat was a French road bicycle racer.

Thierry Claveyrolat was King of the Mountains in the 1990 Tour de France.

Thierry Claveyrolat showed early talent as an amateur cyclist, especially in the hills.

Thierry Claveyrolat turned professional in 1983 for the St-Etienne-Pelussin team and came to notice that year when he came second on the sixth stage of the Dauphine Libere.

St-Etienne was a small team and Thierry Claveyrolat's pay was so low that he worked for a construction company at Alpe d'Huez to make up the difference.

Thierry Claveyrolat's showing in the Dauphine Libere brought him a move to Systeme U in 1984, after which he changed sponsors frequently.

Thierry Claveyrolat went on to win the Tour du Limousin in 1989, and the Tour du Haut-Var and the Coupe de France in 1993.

Thierry Claveyrolat finished the race in the polka dot jersey as leader of the mountains classification.

Thierry Claveyrolat won a stage at nearby Morzine the following year.

Thierry Claveyrolat's slim build and short height brought him the nickname Clavette, a play on his name meaning "cotter pin" Thierry Claveyrolat's weakness was time-trialling, when his lightness made it hard to ride at sustained speed.

Thierry Claveyrolat rode for Z and GAN before retiring in May 1994.

Thierry Claveyrolat bought a bar, the Cafe de la Gare, at Vizille, south of Grenoble, and turned it into a bar-brasserie called L'Etape.

Kimmage said Thierry Claveyrolat had enjoyed the atmosphere of the Cafe de la Gare, which is why he had bought it.

Thierry Claveyrolat sold a share of the business, used his winnings to plug the black hole in his bank account and determined to make a fresh start.

Thierry Claveyrolat was brought before the authorities and asked to explain himself.

On 13 August 1999 Thierry Claveyrolat drove down the Cote de Laffrey, a mountain he had ridden many times by bike.

Thierry Claveyrolat committed suicide by shooting himself with a rifle at 3am on 7 September 1999.