Reflecting on the life and death of Raymond Poulidor
Mon, November 18, 2019 
This past week brought the news that former French professional cyclist Raymond Poulidor had died. I had written about Poulidor’s life and his many achievements back in 2007, so to simply re-post the article at this time would be to repeat the many tributes already posted in the days immediately following his passing.
Instead I thought I would like to write about some of my own feelings after hearing the news. Raymond Poulidor was born in April 1936, I was born in February 1936, we were almost the same age. I have followed Poulidor’s career since the early years in the 1960s.
I think back to my childhood during WWII and wonder what it was like for Poulidor in German occupied France. So much harder and a lot more dangerous. I think about my teenage years in the 1950s when I first got into cycling and started racing. At that time, Raymond Poulidor would have been doing the same.
His passing brought up thoughts of my own mortality. Something I came to terms with many years ago, but I could not help but wonder, why his life ends at this moment, while mine continues? One of the reasons why Poulidor was such a loved personality was because he made himself available to his many fans.
After he rode his last Tour de France he attended the event every year, driving the entire route, meeting fans and signing autographs. In more recent years he became an official ambassador for the Tour. His presence will be missed in future events, that is for sure. I read where he attended this year’s TDF even though he knew his health was failing.
One of my boyhood heroes was Ferdi Kubler, a Swiss cyclist who won the Tour de France in 1950. He died just three years ago in 2016, at the age of 97. For many years he was the oldest living TDF winner. I wrote to the Tour organizers on several occasions asking if Kubler could be honored at one of the events. Maybe when a stage went into Switzerland.
Ferdi Kubler right age 35, left age 95,
I never got a response or saw Ferdi Kubler appear at the race. Maybe he was invited but declined, possibly the stress of attending would have been too much for someone so elderly? Kubler was a life-long fitness fanatic and looked good up until the end. I wonder if living the quiet life out of the spotlight also contributed to his longevity? His death did not attract near the attention Poulidor’s passing did.
As one becomes older life becomes a balancing act. One must have a purpose in life, or life will end. Poulidor had a great purpose, the mutual love of his fans. However, did the stress of that need to attend the TDF at all cost, prove to be too much?
Fitness and health have to be the priority, everything else depends on it. As one gets older you must know your limitations, I exercise but never to extremes, and never to exhaustion. I get plenty of rest. One must also prioritize who and what are the most important, my wife, and my daughters come first, everyone and everything else must follow.
I will miss Raymond Poulidor, as will his fans everywhere, those who knew him personally will miss him more. His immediate family, his daughter, his wife, will miss him most of all, and for a lot longer.
To Share click "Share Article" below
Reader Comments (2)
Rest in peace, Pou-Pou.
I would comment, but will not this this time. I agree 100% with Dave great post