RIP the ‘Voice of the Tour de France’
Eurosport presenter Guillaume Di Grazia has died after being hit at a bull-running festival in southern France.
The 52-year-old, who was a legendary member of the Eurosport team for 26 years, was rushed to hospital after the incident and died two days later.
According to The Sun, the incident occurred during an abrivado, a festival where bulls are herded through the streets of a village by horse riders.
Di Grazia was considered the ‘Voice of the Tour de France’, and tributes have poured in from around the world.
“On Wednesday, we were saddened to learn of the accidental death of Guillaume Di Grazia,” a statement from TNT Sports, who took over Eurosport this year, said.
“A member of the Eurosport editorial team for 26 years, Guillaume was a unique, visionary and passionate journalist who left a lasting mark on the channel’s history.
“He was instinctive, sensing things long before others did, trends, trajectories… This creative spirit, coupled with great professionalism, made him an extraordinary journalist.
“The programme ‘Les Tontons Flankers’ left its mark on its era and on people’s minds.
“And what about ‘Les Rois de la Pédale’? He turned a simple debriefing programme into a benchmark event known to all French cycling fans.
“His way with words and his camaraderie with his colleagues, who became his other family, punctuated his life and ours.”
TNT Sports director Géraldine Pons added: “His enthusiasm, style and passion behind the microphone left a lasting impression on cycling fans.
“Sometimes, he was as popular as the riders on the roads of the Tour.”
