Powerful German Dominates All
The ‘Legend’ Begins:
Two Roubaix textile manufacturers, Théodore Vienne and Maurice Perez, created the first Paris-Roubaix. Vienne and Perez wanted to promote events at their newly built velodrome in Roubaix.
They approached Paul Rousseau, the editor-in-chief of Le Vélo, who accepted the concept and began planning the race route. He sent colleague Victor Breyer to design a route. Breyer and Paul Meyan drove from Paris to Amiens. Next day Breyer continued the route design on a bicycle. Riding into a headwind, with rain and cold temperatures he arrived in Roubaix covered in mud, bloody, and frozen from the cold spring weather. His first thoughts were to cancel the promotion of the race because of the brutal conditions! He was miserable but hours later; after warming up and eating a good dinner, he changed his mind. The promotion continued.
When planning the racecourse, Breyer tried to avoid cobblestone passages because they wanted to hold an easier race than the other brutal races, such as Bordeaux-Paris. But only the pavés (cobbled sections) could be found to adequate handle the race over the final thirty kilometers. The Cobblestone sections are now legendary!
The Race:
The 1st edition of Paris-Roubaix was held on Sunday, April 19, 1896.
At 5:30 am race director Paul Rousseau dropped the flag to start the 280-kilometer Paris to Roubaix race.
Riders before the start of the race in Paris
SPECIAL NOTE: like Bordeaux-Paris, the first P-R allowed riders to be paced. The riders followed their trainers, who functioned as pacemakers on wheels, usually tandem bicycles.
Race Status:
After 18 km covered in 32 minutes, the peloton rode into St. Germain, the first checkpoint was reached. The lead group had seven riders: Arthur Linton (GBr), Josef Fischer (Ger), Paul Guignard (Fra), Maurice Garin (Fra), Albert Sardin (Fra), Charles Meyer (Den), and Lucien Stein (Fra).
The first riders arrived in Beauvais (86 km into the race / 280 km), Linton led followed by Guignard, Garin, Fischer and Meyer.
Fischer increased the group’s pace and kept the lead into the next control in Breteuil (117 km / 280 km). Linton and Garin trailed by more than four minutes, Meyer rode fifteen minutes behind.
In Amiens (150 km / 280 km), where a 150 francs bonus sprint awaited the leaders. Linton won the sprint over Fischer by half a bike length.
On the way out of the city, Linton had to dodge a loose dog and crashed heavily. He suffered only minor injuries but lost valuable time.
Fischer, now solo, found his own misfortunes with a runaway horse disturbing his pacer, then a herd of cows blocked the road.
In Doullens (179 km / 280 km), Fischer increased his lead on Garin by 11 minutes, Linton by 18’00”, and Meyers by 25’00”.
The German reached Arras (217 km / 280 km) and quickly signed the check point sheet. Garin chased with a 23-minute deficit.
At the last check point outside Seclin (256 km / 280 km), the riders received a grand reception from spectators and a musical band. Garin chased the leader 22 minutes behind and Charles Meyer another two minutes later.
By the time Meyer reached Hem (274 km / 280 km), close behind Garin.
Josef Fischer arrived at the Vélodrome Roubaisian, which was completely filled with more than 10,000 spectators, where he had to complete six more laps to the sounds of the La Marseillaise (French National anthem). After Fischer, who was bleeding and caked with dust, signed the finish control sheet, and got handed a glass of champagne!
The huge crowd at the Roubaix Velodrome
Meyer, who had caught and passed Garin, finished second 13 minutes behind. Three minutes later, Garin crossed the finish line for third place.
Josef Fischer (Ger) was the first champion of Paris-Roubaix in 1896. Fischer used superior power to drop each contender one by one. He rode solo onto the velodrome in Roubaix for the 1st ever P-R victory.
SPECIAL NOTE: The race was full of accidents, but the most unfortunate rider of the day was Welshman Arthur Linton. He finished fourth after crashing six times, once after hitting a rogue dog.
P-R April 19, 1896 |
280 Km, Porte Maillot, Paris to Roubaix (Velodrome - Rue Verte, Criox)
|
1.
Lucien PETIT-BRETON (Fra) 11h04'15" |
2.
Gustave Garrigou (Fra) +1'00" |
3.
Giovanni Gerbi (Ita) +15"
|
Starters: 51 / Finishers: 25 Average Speed: 30.161 km/h |
|
P-R 1897
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