Richard Virenque

Richard Virenque (Casablanca, Morocco, November 19, 1969) is a French former cyclist, famous for his qualities as a professional climber between 1991 and 2004.

He is the cyclist who has won the mountain jersey the most times in the Tour de France, 7 times (1994-1997, 1999, 2003 and 2004).

For years he was the French hope of seeing a compatriot again on the top of the Tour de France podium. Between 1998 and 2000 he was involved in the so-called "Festina scandal" and was accused of doping and even sanctioned, which did not prevent him from continuing to perform at a good level after serving the sanction.

Biography

Richard Virenque had two eras. One before 1998, the year of the Affaire Festina and another later, when he returned from the sanction.

The stage before 1998, which could last until 2000, the year in which his sanction became effective, was characterized by a progression that led him to believe he had the possibility of being champion of the Tour.

In 1991, he began his professional career, throughout which he played for the teams RMO (1991-1992), Festina (1993-1998), Polti (1999-2000), Domo-Farm Frites (2001-2002) and Quick Step-Davitamon (2003-2004). He became known in 1992, the year in which he wore the yellow jersey in the Tour de France and was second in the Mountain classification. A great climber, he managed to gradually overcome his disadvantage in the flat and time trial stages, and thus progressively improve his final classification in the Tour (fifth in 1994, third in 1996 and second in 1997).

In the 1997 Tour de France he had a great chance to achieve it, first with an attack on the ascent to La Madeleine in the stage ending in Courchevel, but Jan Ullrich, leader of the general classification, withstood that attack thanks to the help of Bjarne Riis, champion the previous year, who worked at the service of Ullrich; and, later, he did not get along with his companions on a getaway during the Vosges stage. Furthermore, Ullrich had a great advantage in the general standings, which made it difficult for any attack to succeed.

In the 1998 Tour de France he was one of the favorites, although he was undercover, he had not stood out in any event before the Tour. However, the Affaire Festina cut short Virenque's career and he would no longer have any real opportunities to win the French round.

He also had very outstanding performances in the road distance event in different editions of the World Championship: he won the bronze medal and contributed to the victory of his teammate Luc Leblanc in 1994, he was sixth in 1995 and fifth in nineteen ninety six.

In his stage after the Festina Scandal, starting in 2001, he became a less explosive but more intelligent runner, achieving important victories through escapes into the distance, where his former status as a climber and his experience made him triumph over his escape companions.

He won stages at Luz Ardiden (1994), Cauterets (1995), Courchevel (1997), Morzine (2000 and 2003), Mont Ventoux (2002) and Saint-Flour (2004).

He is also the cyclist who has won the red dots jersey the most times in the Tour de France, ahead of the legendary Bahamontes and Van Impe, who credits the King of the Mountain, on a total of seven occasions.

In the Giro d'Italia he won a stage in Rapallo in 1999, his first grand tour after the Festina Case, and in the Vuelta a España, his best performance was a 5th place in 1995. As a note, it is worth noting that On one occasion he was expelled from the Vuelta for clinging to a car going up the Envalira Pass.

He was an Olympian in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games.

He has two children with his ex-wife Sthephanie Virenque, Clara and Darío, and currently has a jewelry business apart from being a commentator on several cycling tests for French television.

Palmarés

Results in Grand Tours and World Championships

-: does not participate
Ab.: abandonment

Recognitions

• 2.o en la Bicicleta de Oro Francesa (1994, 1995, 2003).
• 3.o en la Bicicleta de Oro Francesa (2004).

Teams

• R.M.O. (1991-1992)
• Festina-Lotus (1993-1998)
• Team Polti (1999-2000)
• Domo-Farm Frites (2001-2002)
• Quick Step-Davitamon (2003-2004)