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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
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Sylvere Maes (Bel) 
Born: August 27, 1909, Zevekote, Belgium
Died: December 5, 1966
Professional: from 1932 to 1939, 1947 (briefly)
Sylvere Maes, born of Flemish blood in West Flanders, won the 1933 Paris-Roubaix in his first try. Maes led Belgium's famous Black Squadron in 1936 to a convincing Tour de France victory.
The 1937 TdF would not be as kind to Maes. He took the yellow jersey in the 1937 Tour, after race leader Gino Bartali crashed and dropped out. However, he was deprived of a possible victory when the Belgian team pulled out in Bordeaux, after the race leader was assessed a 30 second penalty for receiving illegal help. A furious Maes appealed what he considered an unjust penalty. After heated discussions, his appeal was denied. Still wearing the Maillot Jaune (Yellow Jersey) Sylvere Maes and the entire Belgian team withdrew from the Tour.
Maes repeated his TdF victory in 1939 with a dominating performance in the mountain and individual time trials. Race director Jacques Goddet wrote of Maes, “He pedals like a grinder.” What he lacked in style, he made up with desire and cunning. Sylvere Maes was a true champion of the Tour de France.
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