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By Barry Boyce,
CyclingRevealed Historian
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A Changing of the Guard
The old guard, Rik Van Steenbergen, Louison Bobet, Fausto Coppi, were aging and a new group of young stars, Jacques Anquetil, Roger Riviere, Noel Fore, were emerging.
Under a steady rain 144 riders came to the start line in St. Denis. Early breakaways were caught in Breteuill as the first meaningful separation occurred on the Doullens hill approximately 50 km from Roubaix .
As the cobbles got tougher a series of punctures and crashes thinned the lead group. A seven rider breakaway held a 50 second gap with 25 km to go. Disaster struck two of the favorite when an official's motorcycle slid on the wet cobbles in Baisieux. Andre Darrigade and Tour of Flanders winner Rik Van Looy fell and lost contact.
Through Hem the final selection occurred. Noel Fore, Marcel Janssens, and Gilbert Desmet escaped and entered the velodrome together. Fore led out the sprint and held off Desmet's late charge to grab the 1959 Paris-Roubaix victory.
P-R April 12, 1959 |
262 Km, St. Denis (north of Paris) to Roubaix (Velodrome) |
1.
Noel FORE (Bel) 6h08'20” |
2.
Gilbert Desmet (Bel)
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| 3.
Marcel Janssens (Bel)
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Starters: 144 |
| Finishers: 75 |
Average Speed: 42.760 km/h |
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57th Paris-Roubaix 1959 (France) 
