Sport – Tributes to Rachel Nicotte –

Posted on by admin

Tributes to Rachel Nicotte

Sport - Tributes to Rachel Nicotte -

The driver Rachel Nicotte, nicknamed "the boss of Supersport", vice-champion of Europe 500, triple champion of France 500 and 600 and double winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, chose to end his life this weekend at age 48…

"He was someone that I appreciated very much… We all knew he was going through a rough time in his life, but I’m in shock", confides Marc Troussard, very touched by the disappearance at the age of 48 of Rachel Nicotte, a pilot unanimously appreciated in the world of French motorcycle sport..

"I owe him a lot. I had only known him for a little over a year, but enough to have been able to appreciate a lot of his qualities. And he had a stock, of qualities", remembers Marc:"he was a simple, modest, humble and passionate guy. A former pro pilot, he was an outstanding tune-up and a remarkable instructor who knew what he was saying. In particular, he was able to make me understand why I had to brake there and not there … After showing me the potential of my bike by slamming an infeasible time for me at the Arnos circuit, he received me at his home in Tosse, in this magical region of the Landes with which he had fallen in love, to share a dinner full of anecdotes from his years of glory in endurance alongside Morillas, Sarron, etc.."

"He had won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991 on the Yamaha n ° 9 with Philippe Monneret and myself.", also remembers Bruno Bonhuil, also very touched, who pays homage to him by diffusing on his site a video of the Bol in 1991 ()."We are sad and we sincerely sympathize with the pain of his family and friends….."

"Rachel is one of those who brought me the most as a pilot, as a trainer and as a man", regrets Christophe Guyot, team manager"shocked"the GMT 94 for whom Rachel had raced in 1996 on the Assen circuit, when he was Yamaha official at the 24 Hours of Le Mans."He never stopped helping me to progress. In moments of doubt specific to any athlete, I have often appreciated his contact and his personality. For that, I owe him part of my title of champion of France in 1998. He also helped me to build the organization and the strategy which make us a good endurance team today. For me he was one of the greatest"…

Nicknamed the "boss" of Supersport, Rachel Nicotte had also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice. He was also vice-champion of Europe 500 cm3 and three times champion of France in 500 cm3 and 600 Supersport.

"He was a great rider with a genuine motorcycle enthusiast.", continues Christophe:"he too considered that nothing was impossible, to use his own words which he wrote to me after our first victory at Le Mans … Our last common point is that he was the last winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on a Yamaha … For me, for us, it is above all a friend that we are losing. With the pain of not having been able to help him overcome his suffering. I think of her three daughters, Anne and all her relatives who will feel the same pain"…

"In short, he was a super accessible gentleman by his kindness and his listening", summarizes Marc Troussard who would have"wanted to be able to talk to him more, spend more time with him … Each of his words I engraved them in my brain, it was someone Rachel … He chose to take a road that we will all take One day. He took this course a little too early, but hey … He chose it, he must have known why … We will miss you for a long time, Rachel! And Groland is in mourning too, because who will settle our suspensions now ?"

Rachel Nicotte’s funeral will take place tomorrow in Nogent-en-Bassigny, Haute-Marne. Moto-Net joins in the pain of his family and loved ones…

Eric MICHEL – Photo Marc TROUSSARD

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *