| Champion's Spark to Victory
The 4th edition of Paris-Roubaix was held on Sunday, April 2, 1899.
Organizers continued the policy to allow moto-pacers for 1899 to attract new and talented riders.
Albert Champion signing the start sheet in Chatou.
From the start powerful track cyclist Albert Champion (Fra) used his moto-pacer to perfection and broke away early in the race. Being a track rider he was allowed to try a solo suicide breakaway.
Defending champion Maurice Garin (Fra) suffered major mechanical problems and after a long delay chose to abandon the race in Vallangoujand (41 km / 268 km).
Race Status:
In Beauvais (86 km into the race / 268 km), Champion’s increasing gap became a concern and Jean Fischer (Fra), Ambroise Garin (Maurice’s brother), Emile Bouhours (Fra), and Pierre Chevallier (Fra) started a hard chase.
In Amiens (142 km / 268 km), fellow track rider Bouhours managed to catch Champion.
Exiting Amiens, misfortune found Bouhours when an errant fan jumped in front of his pacer. Unable to avoid the incident, Emile crashed heavily and abandoned the race. Champion's only challenge was gone.
On the road to Arras (200 km / 268 km), with the worst cobbled sections to come, Champion raced across his first hard cobbled sections of the north. Being a track rider, he was unfamiliar with riding cobbles, the leader’s pace slowed significantly.
Champion’s ride between Arras (200 km / 268 km) and Seclin (237 km / 268 km), heavily cobbled roads, caused two hours of suffering.
Slowed only by the tough cobbled sections he rode first into the Roubaix Velodrome to a huge ovation. Albert Champion (Fra) became the 1899 P-R champion.
SPECIAL NOTE: After the victory Champion came to the USA to race lucrative motor-paced events.
SPECIAL NOTE: Although Albert Champion was an exceptionally talented cyclist, he made his mark on the world creating spark plugs for American motorcar manufacturers.
P-R April 2, 1899 |
268 Km, Chatou (west of Paris) to Roubaix (Velodrome - Rue Verte, Criox)
|
1. Albert CHAMPION (Fra) 8h22'53" |
2. Paul Bor (Fra) +23'20" |
3. Ambrosio Garin (Fra) +23'24" |
Starters: 32 / Finishers: 16 Average Speed: 31.976 km/h |
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P-R 1898
P-R 1900
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