Pascal Hervé, former professional cyclist born in Tours in 1964, died of cancer this Wednesday, December 25, at the age of 60. Passed by VS Monnaie and UC Niort, as well as teams from Vienne, then French amateur champion in 1992, he turned professional in the Festina team in 1994 and raced in the dark years of cycling.
Faithful lieutenant of Richard Virenque, he competed in six Tours de France alongside him, including the sad 1998 edition, the year of the doping scandal revealed within his Festina team. After two months of suspension following this affair, the Tourangeau bounced back within the Italian team Polti, before seeing his career ended at the 2001 Tour of Italy following a new positive test.
Stage winner at the Tour of Italy
During his career, in addition to his decisive role with Richard Virenque, he won a stage of the Tour of Italy in 1996, as well as the Plouay GP in 1998, among others. Even removed from the pro peloton, the bike will always have remained its « passion »he assured The New Republic in 2015, specifying then to do “four outings per week”. Having left to live in Quebec, he became a cycling coach and sports director for the Garneau-Québecor continental team.
“The great cycling family is in mourning. Pascal was an emblematic figure and an essential voice of our sport. Our thoughts are with his family.”the National Union of Professional Cyclists paid tribute to him on the social network X.
“Pascal Hervé my friend, I’m so upset. You left on Christmas night my friend, you are so rock'n'roll until the end… I keep so many memories, good times, and projects to come…”shared his former teammate at Festina, Laurent Brochard, on Facebook.
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