My first was in 1994 and it's ten years ago already. It's been ten years and I'm still around. I won a stage again, like I did last year and the year before. Richard Virenque More Quotes by Richard Virenque More Quotes From Richard Virenque I was a hero, and a second afterwards it was all over. Casartelli was dead so what I had achieved was worth nothing. Richard Virenque cycling hero I symbolized doping... My phone rarely rings. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of riders who call me. Richard Virenque phones numbers hands You can say that climbers suffer the same as the other riders, but they suffer in a different way. You feel the pain, but you're glad to be there. Richard Virenque pain different suffering The more the years go by, the more difficult it gets. I'm getting old. Richard Virenque old more go difficult It was important to score points today and I went for them with my guts. Richard Virenque them guts important today I want to be remembered going off the front, not the other way. After winning my seventh king-of-the-mountains title and winning a stage on Bastille Day, I asked myself, 'What more can I do in cycling?' I want to go out at the top. Richard Virenque day myself winning way He's dangerous, he's beautiful, and he loves the heat, like me - that's why I had a scorpion tattooed on my leg in 1999 after my fifth jersey. Richard Virenque like me dangerous beautiful In the second part of my life, away from cycling, I hope I will be able to benefit fully from my family and children in the same way that cycling gave me such joy. Richard Virenque me family hope life Bike riding requires permanent sacrifice. It means training 11 months out of 12 and 110 days of racing, whatever the weather conditions. Early in life, I realised I did not have intellectual potential, so I dedicated myself to cycling. Richard Virenque myself bike weather life
