Raymond Poulidor, the former cycling champion, is dead

Eight times on the podium of the Tour de France in the 60s and 70s, but never winner, "Poupou" benefited to the end of a magnificent popularity.

Posted on 13 Nov 19 at 9:36

The former cycling champion Raymond Poulidor is dead at the age of 83, Wednesday, November 13, 2019, announces the newspaper The Team.

"He had a very tired heart"

Raymond Poulidor "left this morning", around 2am, confirmed his wife Gisele to theAFP. "His heart was very tired."

The former champion had been hospitalized at the beginning of October at the hospital of Saint-Leonard de Noblat, which he has not left since, said his wife.

Raymond Poulidor "left this morning", around 2:00 am, said his wife Gisele to the #AFP. "He had a very tired heart" (Photo 2016 by @plachenaud pic.twitter.com/A1LqUsuDBg

– Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) November 13, 2019

? ? ? ? pic.twitter.com/5JgBqPtKb7

– Tour de France ™ (@LeTour) November 13, 2019

Legend of French sport

Raymond "was very tired since the last Tour de France," he had followed in the caravan, had explained his wife shortly after his hospitalization.

Poulidor, known as "Poupou", a legend of French cycling and sports, was born in Masbaraud-Merignat (Creuse) and lived about thirty kilometers away from Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat, where the Tour had passed in 2016. He had then shared a big cake for his 80 years with Bernard Hinault and Bernard Thevenet, two former winners of the "Great Loop".

Read also: VIDEO. When Raymond Poulidor started his Tour de France in Val-de-Marne

Eight times on the Tour podium!

The runner native of Creuse, whose popularity had remained exceptional, finished eight times on the Tour de France podium (1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1976) and won the Tour of Spain (1964) as well as Milan-San Remo (1961) and the Fleche Wallonne (1963).

Raymond Poulidor, giant of French cycling, died at the age of 83 years. It is found in his works in 1967. #RaymondPoulidor pic.twitter.com/PEertbbAQH

– Ina.fr (@Inafr_officiel) November 13, 2019

Raymond Poulidor, who has always run after the yellow jersey, has also embodied the champion accessible and hardworking, as deserving as unlucky, over a career completed in 40 years. Half a century later, still present in the village-departure stages of the Tour, he continued to sign autographs to admirers of all ages.

With AFP

Read also: Death of Raymond Poulidor: "It was a courageous, adored public," recalls a former Girondin runner

Video. The trailer for the documentary "Poulidor Premier":