Goodbye Guillaume

‘You'll see, one day, this little guy will be an Olympic champion!’ Visionary as ever, Guillaume Di Grazia quickly sensed that this ‘little guy’ from Bois-d'Amont would go far. Four years later, in Vancouver, Jason Lamy-Chappuis won Olympic gold. That was Guillaume: he was instinctive, sensing things long before others did, trends, trajectories... This creative spirit, coupled with great professionalism, made him an extraordinary journalist.

Who else but him could have imagined a black-and-white programme in the age of colour? It was a risky bet, but a winning one, courtesy of Guillaume. The programme ‘Les Tontons Flankers’ left its mark on its era and on people's minds. And what about ‘Les Rois de la Pédale’? He turned a simple debriefing programme into a benchmark event known to all French cycling fans. His way with words and his camaraderie with his colleagues, who became his other family, punctuated his life and ours.

Guillaume spent 26 years of his life at Eurosport. Freshly graduated from ESJ Paris, he joined the editorial team during the Sydney Olympics. Guillaume tried his hand at everything and quickly switched to commentary, his great passion. Football, basketball, Nordic combined, ski jumping, and above all, cycling. He quickly became one of the great voices of Eurosport.

His enthusiasm, style and passion behind the microphone left a lasting impression on cycling fans, sometimes making him as popular as the riders on the roads of the Tour de France.

As editor-in-chief and then editorial director, he was committed to discovering new voices and new talent, particularly female talent. Many benefited from his advice and kindness, coupled with his constant high standards.

‘Guigui’, as he was nicknamed in the editorial office, was above all a colourful character, and not just because of his distinctive, odd-coloured eyes. Proud of his Montpellier roots and the south, where he was born, who in the editorial office has not heard him talk passionately about the results of his favourite club, MHSC, owned by his friend, Loulou Nicollin, or engage in heated debates?

Guillaume loved sport and his job. He loved life and his friends, and above all, he cherished his daughter Marine and her mother.

Our thoughts are with his loved ones and all those who knew and loved him.

Goodbye, Guillaume