Robert Marchand (cyclist)

Robert Marchand (born 26 November 1911) is a French centenarian cyclist. He is the holder of the world record for cycling 100 km and for the distance cycled in one hour, both in the over 100 to 105 years old age category and for the distance cycled in one hour in the over 105 years old age category.

Robert Marchand
Robert Marchand in 2012
Personal information
Born (1911-11-26) 26 November 1911
Amiens, France
Height1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)[1]
Sport
SportCycling

Early life

Marchand was born in Amiens, near the frontline of the First World War.[2]

Marchand was a firefighter in Paris in the 1930s. He was a prisoner-of-war during World War II, and is one of the oldest remaining WWII veterans. He then moved to Venezuela, where he was a lorry driver and sugarcane planter.[2] 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][3]

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.[4] He returned to cycling in 1978[3] 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 mi). He improved this record to 26.927 kilometres (16.732 mi) in January 2014.[5][6]

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 mi) 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".[7][8]

At the age of 105 he was recognised as the world's oldest competitive cyclist by Guinness World Records.[9]

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.[2]

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.[10]

Marchand celebrated his 107th birthday by going for a 20-kilometre bike ride in the Ardèche.[11]

After his 108th birthday Marchand stopped riding bikes outdoors due to hearing loss.[12]

References
  1. A 102 ans, Robert a l'énergie d'un homme de 45!. Le Parisien. 25 October 2013
  2. Chapman, John (5 January 2017). "French cyclist Robert Marchand sets new record at 105 YEARS OLD". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  3. Robert Marchand sets new 100-kilometer speed record. Agence France Presse. 28 September 2012
  4. Robert Marchand. cyclingarchives.com
  5. Daniel McMahon (31 January 2014) When your age hits the triple digits, it's like riding a bike. Time
  6. 102-year-old French cyclist breaks world record. Associated Press (31 January 2014)
  7. new mondial record at 105 years old 22.547 kilometers in one hour . Franceinfos. 4 January 2017
  8. Robert Marchand 105-year-old sets new Hour Record with 22.547km ride . News Of This Today. ' 4 January 2017
  9. Joseph Delves (4 May 2017). "Robert Marchand, 105, recognised as the world's oldest competitive cyclist". Cyclist. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  10. Rebecca Rosman (27 February 2018). "At 106, champion cyclist Robert Marchand refuses to stop pedaling". USA Today. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  11. Simon MacMichael (29 November 2018). "Robert Marchand celebrates 107th birthday – with 20km spin". road.cc. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  12. Nathalie Rodrigues (26 November 2019). "Robert Marchand, cycliste mascotte de l'Ardéchoise, fête ses 108 ans" (in French). France Bleu. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
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