Frenchman, 105, pedals to record
A 105-year-old Frenchman set a one-hour cycling record for his age on Wednesday, although Robert Marchand was already in a class of his own.
Marchand pedaled for 22.547 kilometers in the National Velodrome in SaintQuentin-en-Yvelines west of Paris to the cheers of hundreds of spectators.
“I didn’t see the sign saying there were 10 minutes togo— otherwise I would have sped up,” the wiry champion told reporters who surrounded him at the finish.
Marchand dismounted and, although a coach put a steadying arm around him, walked off the track without difficulty.
“I’m not tired. My legs aren’t hurting, but my arms are. It has to hurt somewhere!” he said after doing 92 laps on the track.
“I feel emotional — and I’m even asking myself if all this is real!” said Marchand, who was born in 1911, three years before World War I began.
When a reporter asked if he was going to do another lap, he said emphatically: “No!”
Age is slowing him, though. Three years ago, he managed to ride 26.927 km in one hour, a record for someone older than 100.
There was no known mark for someone of 105, so Marchand truly blazed a trail on Wednesday.
“Now I’ll wait and see if anyone wants to take me on,” he said with a chuckle.
By comparison, the onehour world record is 54.526 km, set by British Tour de France winner and multiple Olympic gold medalist Bradley Wiggins.
Marchand, a retired firefighter who was a national gymnastics champion and a boxer, attributes his enduring fitness to a healthy diet—and lots of exercise.
“I’ve done sports all my life, eaten loads of fruits and vegetables, but not too much coffee,” he said before the record attempt.
“I do between 10 and 20 kilometers a day (cycling), but I don’t train outside. I’m afraid I might catch the flu!”
One of his coaches, JeanMichel Richefort, said he felt “really emotional” about his not-so-young charge’s achievement.
“He went off very fast and I was afraid he’d have cramping. But he kept his form, he was very focused and he followed a perfect line,” he said.
As the celebrations continued, Marchand was asked if he now had his eye on the record for 110-year-olds.
“It’s a long way off — let’s talk about it at a later date ,” he said.