hrotha said:
What are the chances that this is a former pro, no hardcore fan here can identify him and yet some random people (most of them casual fans) at the Tour would know who he is? I don't think he's a former pro.
Yes, but he if he is a former pro he likely rode in the late 70's to mid 80's... guessing from what looks to be his age. I don't think hardcore fans here are up on their french pros from that time. He's obviously not one of the 'major' pros from that era.
But you have to remember in even if he had modest success he would/could be pretty famous in his region in France. If he'd won a TDF stage, been a former French Champion... maybe gone into regional politics or whatever.
I agree with other posters. We need to know where the photo is from. Then go back and look at tour results from '79-85 or so and look for French stage winners... That is of why I thought it could be Marc Gomez - he was champion of France both amateur and pro - pro in 1983, and won a tour de F stage, won Milan San Remo....
Here's another pic of him from Cycling Archives...
http://www.cyclingarchives.com/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=6665 . Looking at this now, I don't think it is him... his mouth looks pretty different.
Anyhow, we should look for more guys over there.
It will help if we knew where the photo was from? As others have said, he could be dutch, Belgian or even Italian.... I'm just kind of assuming he is French.