Gaston Rahier
Gaston Rahier (1 February 1947 – 8 February 2005) was a Belgian professional motocross racer. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1967 to 1979. Rahier is notable for being a three-time FIM 125cc motocross world champion. After his motocross career, he became a successful Rally Raid competitor.
| Gaston Rahier | |
|---|---|
 Rahier in 1978 | |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Born | 1 February 1947 Herve, Wallonia |
| Died | 8 February 2005 (aged 58) Paris, France |
| Motocross career | |
| Years active | 1967–1979 |
| Teams | ČZ, Ossa, Suzuki, Yamaha, Gilera |
| Championships | 125cc- 1975, 1976, 1977 |
| Wins | 29 |
Career
Born Herve, Wallonia, Rahier was three-time FIM World Champion in the 125cc division, claiming the title in 1975, 1976 and 1977.[1] He later went on to race in and win the famous Paris-Dakar rally for BMW motorcycles, in 1984 and 1985. At the end of that last year he was named, alongside long-distance runner Vincent Rousseau, as the Belgian Sportsman of the Year. Rahier is a Paris-Dakar legend, once referred to as "The little man with the giant reputation." Rahier died in Paris after a long battle with cancer.[2]
References
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Hubert Auriol |
Dakar Rally Motorcycle Winner 1984–1985 |
Succeeded by Cyril Neveu |