Robert Marchand (cyclist)
.jpg) Robert Marchand in 2012 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 November 1911 Amiens, France |
| Height | 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)[1] |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Cycling |
Robert Marchand (born 26 November 1911) is a French centenarian cyclist.
Early life
Marchand was born in Amiens, near the frontline of the First World War.[3]
Marchand was a firefighter in Paris in the 1930s. He was a prisoner-of-war during World War II. He then moved to Venezuela, where he was a lorry driver and sugarcane planter.[3] In the 1950s he went to Canada, where he had a job as a lumberjack. He returned to France in 1960 and worked as a gardener and wine dealer until 1987.[1][4]
He took an active part during the strikes of 1936 in France that gave birth to the modern era foundations of French employment legislation.
He is a member of the French Communist Party and the CGT Trade Union, the longest-serving member still living, with 90 years of membership.
Career
Aged 35 he finished seventh in the Grand Prix des Nations in 1946.[5] He returned to cycling in 1978[4] and continued training after his 100th birthday. In February 2012, he set a world record in one-hour track cycling in the over-100 age group at 24.250 kilometres (15.068 miles). He improved this record to 26.927 kilometres (16.732 miles) in January 2014.[6][7]
On 4 January 2017, he set a world record in one-hour track cycling in the over-105 age group, covering 22.547 kilometres (14.010 miles) in one hour, and the 105 year old centenarian declared: "I could have done better, if I had seen the 10-minute warning card, otherwise I would have pedalled slightly faster".[8][9]
At the age of 105 he was recognised as the world's oldest competitive cyclist by Guinness World Records.[10]
Marchand puts his remarkable fitness and longevity down to a diet consisting of: lots of fruit and vegetables, a little meat, not too much coffee – and an hour a day on the cycling home-trainer.[3]
After he turned 106 Marchand’s doctors advised him to stop competing for world records. He obliged, but refused to quit racing completely. In early February 2018 Marchand completed a 4,000-meter race in the same stadium where he made his last record.[11]
Marchand celebrated his 107th birthday by going for a 20-kilometre bike ride in the Ardèche.[12]
After his 108th birthday Marchand stopped riding bikes outdoors due to hearing loss.[13]
References
- ^ a b A 102 ans, Robert a l'énergie d'un homme de 45!. Le Parisien. 25 October 2013
- ^ Staff (26 March 2018). "Robert Marchand d'un siècle à l'autre à vélo" (in French). Corse-Matin. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
- ^ a b c Chapman, John (5 January 2017). "French cyclist Robert Marchand sets new record at 105 YEARS OLD". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ a b Robert Marchand sets new 100-kilometer speed record. Agence France Presse. 28 September 2012
- ^ Robert Marchand. cyclingarchives.com
- ^ Daniel McMahon (31 January 2014) When your age hits the triple digits, it's like riding a bike. Time
- ^ 102-year-old French cyclist breaks world record. Associated Press (31 January 2014)
- ^ new mondial record at 105 years old 22.547 kilometers in one hour . Franceinfos. 4 January 2017
- ^ Robert Marchand 105-year-old sets new Hour Record with 22.547km ride . News Of This Today. ' 4 January 2017
- ^ Joseph Delves (4 May 2017). "Robert Marchand, 105, recognised as the world's oldest competitive cyclist". Cyclist. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
- ^ Rebecca Rosman (27 February 2018). "At 106, champion cyclist Robert Marchand refuses to stop pedaling". USA Today. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
- ^ Simon MacMichael (29 November 2018). "Robert Marchand celebrates 107th birthday – with 20km spin". road.cc. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
- ^ Nathalie Rodrigues (26 November 2019). "Robert Marchand, cycliste mascotte de l'Ardéchoise, fête ses 108 ans" (in French). France Bleu. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
External links
