Virenque retires

French cyclist Richard Virenque announced yesterday he is ending his 14-year career at the age of 34.

The record seven-time winner of the Tour de France ‘King of the Mountains’ title remains hugely popular in France despite his central role in the 1998 Tour de France doping scandal.

Virenque started his professional career in 1991 with RMO before joining Festina, Team Polti and Domo.

He never won the Tour but finished third in 1996 and second a year later.

The 1998 Festina scandal broke when the Festina team’s masseur was stopped at the Franco-Belgian border with a trunk full of banned substances. The whole team was then thrown out of the race.

For two years Virenque denied having taken banned substances before finally admitting his involvement.