Tour de France television technician found dead

Added by Erik West on July 19, 2011

July 19, 2011

Early Monday morning a 59-year-old French television technician-driver Patrick Guay was found dead in a river near the finish line of today’s stage, in the town of Gap, France.

Patrick Guay was found half-submerged in the river Luye. French television crews had parked a number of vehicles along the banks of the river overnight and it is thought that Guay died of a heart attack sometime during the night. Guay celebrated his 59th birthday on Sunday.

Patrick Guay was the uncle of Jerome Pineau, who is racing with team QuickStep. Pineau started today’s stage race wearing black wrist bands. This was Guay’s 27th year contributing to the Tour de France.

Patrick Guay was a former rider in the Tour de France during the 1970s.

Tour de France organizers said, “The Tour de France would like to extend their sincere condolences to Jerome, his family,and to the colleagues of Patrick”.