René Gaillard
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 September 1927 Besançon, France |
| Died | 6 October 2025 (aged 98) Vaivre-et-Montoille, France |
René Gaillard (French: [ʁəne ɡajaʁ]; 24 September 1927 – 6 October 2025) was a French racing cyclist.[1]
Biography
Born in Besançon on 24 September 1927,[2] Gaillard participated in his first race in 1941.[3] In the 1950s, he became a regional champion.[4] He finished 16th in a race in Besançon won by Fausto Coppi, with Louison Bobet as runner-up.[5] In 1999, he took part in a 3200 kilometer trip from Chicago to Los Angeles in the "Route 66 by bike" series.[6] In 2017, he became the hour record holder for 90-94 year-old men by cycling 29.278 km in one hour on the Vélodrome National.[7] In 2021, he was considered the dean of French cycling following the death of Robert Marchand.[8][9][10] In May 2025, he was still cycling at almost 98 years old.[11] He had cycled an estimated 550,000 km in his lifetime.[12]
Gaillard was the father of actress Manoëlle Gaillard.[13] His eldest daughter, Evelyne, worked as a wedding dress merchant in Vesoul.[14] His wife, Colette, was a keyboard player.[15]
Gaillard died in Vaivre-et-Montoille on 6 October 2025, at the age of 98.[16]
References
- ^ "Recordman mondial de l'heure, le cycliste René Gaillard s'en est allé". L'Est Républicain (in French). Vaivre-et-Montoille. 9 October 2025. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ Cherrier, Cécilia (29 August 2017). "A 90 ans, Le Haut-Saônois René Gaillard vise en octobre un record sur piste au vélodrome de Saint-Quentin". L'Est Républicain (in French). Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ "René Gaillard, doyen du cyclisme mondial". france.tv (in French).
- ^ "Cyclisme. A 93 ans, René Gaillard est le nouveau doyen du cyclisme mondial". Le Télégramme (in French). 12 June 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ "Cyclisme: René Gaillard, une vie de coursier et encore des records à battre". Le Point (in French). 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ Cherrier, Cécilia (25 June 2016). "Haute-Saône : à 88 ans, René Gaillard, ancien champion régional, sera spectateur des championnats de France". L'Est Républicain (in French). Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ Sillans, Aude (8 October 2016). "Pari réussi pour Réné Gaillard notre super papy cycliste". France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (in French). Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ "Cyclisme: René Gaillard, une vie de coursier et encore des records à battre". L'Express (in French). 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ "À 94 ans, le nouveau doyen mondial du vélo René Gaillard veut conquérir un nouveau record du monde". Ouest-France (in French). 26 May 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ Bilinski, Aline; Nirhy-Lanto, Toky (25 May 2021). "PORTRAIT. À Vesoul, René Gaillard, nouveau doyen mondial du vélo à 94 ans, est en route pour un nouveau record du monde". France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comte (in French). Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ "À 98 ans, rien n'arrête René Gaillard le doyen mondial du vélo". L'Est Républicain (in French). Saulx. 22 June 2025. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ "La dernière échappée de René Gaillard". La Presse de Vesoul (in French). October 2025.
- ^ "Un homme à la hauteur". AlloCiné (in French).
- ^ "Une Vésulienne dans la nouvelle série quotidienne de M6". La Presse de Vesoul (in French). June 2025.
- ^ "Colette Gaillard nous a quittés". L'Est Républicain (in French). Vaivre-et-Motoille. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ "René GAILLARD". Libra Memoria (in French).