Roger Riviere bicycles:
...were made by Gitane, Rogers last major sponsor during
his cycling career. Roger Riviere had an unfortunate accident during the
Giro where he rode off the roadway and down an embankment suffering severe
injuries to his back causing paralysis. The Riviere line of bikes had
bicycles extending from low end to some high end models which were showcased
at the bike shows in the 70s. The high end models featured chrome lugs.
Other bicycles were bike boom bicycles mostly with foil seat tube stickers
and handmade in France stickers. Most of these bicycles featured chrome
tipped
forks and chrome fork crown. The 70s era bike boom Riviere’s used cottered
Aduprat crank sets, Simplex components, 27 inch wheel sets, and CLB brakes.
The Roger Riviere bicycles disappeared around the late 70s.
Roger Riviere was the first rider to break the 5 minute mark for the pursuit
when he won the world championship in 1958. He wore a clear plastic shower
cap over his hairnet helmet, and his shoes had no laces for aerodynamics.
The below info obtained from:
http://townsleyb.members.beeb.net/procycle/rivierer.htm
An excellent time trialist, to the same level as the great Jacques Anquetil,
Riviere was ideally placed to win the 1960 Tour de France. Gastone Nencini
was in the leader's yellow jersey but was weak against the clock. On 10th
July Riviere crashed into a ravine, sustained major back injuries and never
regained full use of his limbs. The extent of his potential can be gauged be
the fact that that Riviere defeated two World Hour Record holders, Jacques
Anquetil and Ercole Baldini, in the time trails of the 1959 Tour de France.
Major Placings and Awards
Professional: Road 1957-60
• 1959: 1st Mont Faron, 1st GP Alger (+ Gerard Saint & Raphael Geminiani),
2nd
Grand Prix des Nations, 3rd Criterium Dauphine, 4th Tour de France + 2
stages,
6th Vuelta a Espana + 3 stages
• 1960: 1st GP Alger (+ Rudi Altig), 3 stage wins Tour de France but on 14th
stage, crashed descending from Col de Perjuret (Route D996 - Meyruels en
Florac)
Professional: Track
• 1957: 1st World Pursuit Championship, World Hour Record, World 10km
Record,
World 20km Record
• 1958: 1st World Pursuit Championship, World Hour Record, World 10km
Record,
World 20km Record
• 1959: 1st World Pursuit Championship, World Indoor Hour Record
Award
• 1957: Trophy Edmond Gentil
Walter Skrzypek |
