Didier Rous

Didier Rous (born 18 September 1970 in Montauban, France) is a French former professional road bicycle racer. He competed in the men's individual road race at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Biography He started his professional career with Gan in 1993 before leaving for Festina in 1997, the year in which he won a stage of the Tour de France. In 1998 the Tour and in particular the Festina team were struck by a doping scandal which led to revelations that the team had organised a doping fund under the management of Bruno Roussel, the directeur sportif, and the team's doctor, Erik Rykaert. Rous said he had taken the blood enhancer, EPO.

In 2000 he joined a new team, Bonjour, sponsored by a newspaper chain and managed by the former rider Jean-René Bernaudeau. He stayed with Bernaudeau as the team's sponsors changed and ride under its new sponsor, Brioches La Boulangère (2003–2004) and then Bouygues Telecom (2005).

Rous said on 11 June 2007 that he was stopping racing because of health problems and joined the management of the Bouygues Telecom team.

Major results

1993 1st, Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise 1994 4th, Overall, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré 1996 1st, Stage 4, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 1st, Stage 3 (ITT), Critérium International 2nd, La Flèche Wallonne 1997 1st, Stage 18, Tour de France 2000 1st, Overall, Grand Prix du Midi Libre 1st, Paris–Camembert 2001 National Road Race Champion Four Days of Dunkirk 1st, Overall, Stage 5 and 6 (ITT) 1st, Overall, Tour de Vendée 1st, Trophée des Grimpeurs 1st, Prologue, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré 11th, Overall, Tour de France 2002 1st, Overall, Circuit de la Sarthe 2nd, Overall, Four Days of Dunkirk 2003 National Road Race Champion 1st, Trophée des Grimpeurs 1st, Overall, Tour du Limousin 2nd, Overall, Four Days of Dunkirk 2004 1st, GP Ouest-France 1st, Stage 3, Four Days of Dunkirk 2005 1st, Stage 3 (ITT), Route du Sud 2006 Paris–Corrèze 1st, Overall, Points Competitions and Stage 1 1st, Trophée des Grimpeurs