Roger Rivière
Rivière on a 1972 UAE stamp | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Roger Rivière |
| Born | 23 February 1936 Saint-Étienne, France |
| Died | 1 April 1976 (aged 40) Saint-Galmier, France |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Major wins | |
| Grand Tours | |
Roger Rivière (French pronunciation: [ʁɔʒe ʁivjɛʁ]; 23 February 1936 – 1 April 1976) was a French track and road bicycle racer. He raced as a professional from 1957 to 1960.
Rivière, a time trialist, all-around talent on the road, and a three-time world pursuit champion on the track, lost his career to injury. He was considered to have a chance of winning the 1960 Tour de France but crashed on the Col de Perjuret descent of Mont Aigoual in the Massif Central while following leader Gastone Nencini. Rivière hit a guard-block on the edge of the road, falling 20 meters into a ravine. He landed in brush, breaking two vertebrae. The injury permanently disabled Riviére, confining him to a wheelchair and ending his career.