Frenchman, 105, sets hour cycling record

SAINT-QUENTIN-ENYVELINES, France — Nearly a century ago, Robert Marchand was told by a coach that he should give up cycling because he would never achieve anything on a bike.

He proved that prediction wrong again Wednesday.

In a skin-tight yellow and violet jersey, the 105-yearold Frenchman set a world record in the 105-plus age category — created especially for the tireless veteran — by riding 14.010 miles in one hour.

“I’m now waiting for a rival,” he said.

Marchand had ridden faster in the past on the boards of the Velodrome National, a state-of-the art venue used to host the elite of track cycling.

But he had warned before his latest attempt that his current form was not as good.

“I did not see the sign warning me I had 10 minutes left,” Marchand said after his effort. “Otherwise I would have gone faster, I would have posted a better time. I’m not tired. I thought my legs would hurt, but they don’t. My arms hurt, you have to hurt somewhere.”

Three years ago at the same venue, Marchand covered 16.731 miles in one hour to better his own world record in the over-100s category.

Still, fans chanted “Robert, Robert” during the last minutes of his ride.

He received a standing ovation once he completed the last of his 92 laps.

“He could have been faster, but he made a big mistake. He has stopped eating meat over the past month after being shocked by recent reports on how animals are subjected to cruel treatment,” said Marchand’s physiologist, Veronique Billat.

By comparison, the current overall world record for one hour is 33.880 miles set by British rider Bradley Wiggins in 2015.

YOAN VALAT/EPA Cycling enthusiast Robert Marchand rides Wednesday in a bid to top his own one-hour record for distance cycled.