| Popular Frenchman Escapes on the Hill at Doullens
The 11th edition of Paris-Roubaix was held on Sunday, April 15, 1906.
SPECIAL NOTE: A mining accident at Courrières on March 10, a few weeks before the P-R start, in which 1,099 people died, caused the organizers to change the racecourse. It was decided to branch off at Arras, head toward Douai and bypass Courrières and Carvin, which made the route slightly longer.
The race rolled off at the now traditional “start line” in Chatou at 7:30 am. When the starter’s flag dropped an independent rider (with the race armband #13) caused a large crash and delayed the peloton.
Race Status:
In Beauvais (80 km / 270 km), an eleven-rider breakaway, including Hyppolite Aucouturier (Alcyon), Emile Georget (Alcyon), Marcel Cadolle (Alcyon), Cesar Garin (La Francaise), Rene Pottier (Peugeot), Georges Passerieu (Peugeot), and Henri Cornet (Individual) moved away from the peloton. Defending champion Louis Trousselier (Peugeot) suffered a puncture and trailed the leaders by 2’00”.
At the control station in Amiens (148 km / 270 km), the breakaway had been reduced to eight riders. Trousselier completed a brilliant chase and rejoined the leaders.
Henri Cornet attacked on the Doullens Hill (184 km / 270 km) and split the lead group. Only Cadolle and Aucouturier could answer the attack. A tiring Aucouturier lost contact with the leaders shortly after Doullens.
The lead duo held a solid gap: in Arras (210 km / 270 km), +4’00” and in Douai (238 km / 270 km) +7’00”.
Through the tough closing cobbled sections Cornet drove the pace in hopes of arriving at the velodrome alone. Cadolle resisted.
The sold-out Roubaix Velodrome erupted with joy when the two riders started the final six laps of the velodrome. Popular champion (1904 Tour de France winner) Henri Cornet easily managed the closing laps and sprinted to the prestigious 1906 Paris-Roubaix victory.
A Sad SPECIAL NOTE: Rene Pottier (Fra), 2nd in P-R 1905 and 3rd in 1906, winner of the 1906 Tour de France (The Thrill of Victory, the Agony of Life) succumbed to the agonies of life on January 25, 1907. Pottier at the age of 29 was found by a Peugeot team mechanic hanging from a hook used to hold his bicycle.
P-R April 15, 1906 |
270 Km, Chatou (west of Paris) to Roubaix (Velodrome - Rue Verte, Criox)
|
1.
Henri CORNET (Fra) 9hr59’30” |
2.
Marcel Cadolle (Fra) |
3.
Rene Pottier (Fra)
+5'15" |
Starters: 17 / Finishers: 14 Average Speed: 27.034 km/h |
|
P-R 1905
P-R 1907
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