Jacques Boyer

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Jonathan "Jacques" Boyer (October 18, 1955, Utah, USA) was a professional bicycle racer who was the first American to participate in the Tour de France in 1981. Boyer grew up in Monterey, California and was a member of the Velo Club Monterey there.

Boyer raced as an amateur in Europe from 1973, and turned pro in 1977. He competed in the Tour five times, beginning in 1981, and finished as high as 12th place in 1983. He also competed in and won the 1980 Coors Classic,and the 1985 Race Across America completing the 3,120-mile ultra-marathon in nine days, two hours, and six minutes. Boyer's cycling career included an impressive 87 amateur victories and 49 professional ones.

Boyer was inducted into the United States Cycling Hall of Fame in 1998.

In 2002, Boyer was charged and convicted on seven counts of child molestation and three counts of genital penetration involving a young girl. He was sentenced to one year in prison in a Monterey County, California, facility.

In 2006, Boyer participated in the Race Across America once again, this time in the new "Solo Enduro" category which requires all participants to use 40 hours of rest (stopping) during the race at certain official time stations along the course. Early in the race Boyer showed that he was using a different strategy from the other favorites. While the two ahead of him were using minimal rests (30 minutes and 2.5 hours after the first 36 hours of racing), Boyer had already used 5 1/2 hour of off-bike time. In the end, all Enduro contenders use up their required 40 hours of off-bike time well before reaching the finish, where Boyer prevailed in the Enduro division[1].