Former French cyclist and sporting director Raphaël Géminiani, known as the “great rifle” and who commanded Portugal’s Joaquim Agostinho, died this Friday at the age of 99.
Raphaël Géminiani, born June 12, 1925 in Clermont-Ferrand, became a prominent figure in sport after the Second World War, taking part in 48 Tour de France races as a bicycle rider, 12 as a runner, finishing second in 1951 and third in 1958, after four days in the yellow jersey, with the best results.
A winner of seven Tour stages, the 1953 French champion and the first person to finish three Grand Tours in the top 10 in the same year, in 1995, Géminiani also made his name as the sporting director of three-time Tour Grand Boucle winner Louison Bobet (1953, 1954 and 1955) and Joaquim Agostinho.
In 1975, the former climber was chosen by then Sporting president João Rocha to lead the club’s international project, which lasted a year and made the Lions the first Portuguese team to take part in the Tour, a year after the Tour of Portugal was cancelled on 25 April 1974.
In the chapters dedicated to the history of the sport in the 1970s, the Portuguese Cycling Federation (FPC) recalls some episodes between Geminiani and Agostinho.
At the Tour de France, Sporting star Joaquim Agostinho overtook two cyclists in the time trial between Morzine and Châtel, but decided not to overtake Raymaud Poulidor.
“Mr Poulidor was going to pass!” the Portuguese said, which provoked further fury from Geminiani, who complained that he could not develop tactics “for a runner who runs with his head”.
Ahead of the 111th Tour, the race director was quick to pay tribute to the “great rifle”.
“He was a great personality, a wonderful person who knew how to share,” praised Christian Prudhomme.