| Policeman Enforces the Road Tax *
The 12th edition of Paris-Roubaix was held on Sunday, March 31, 1907.
SPECIAL NOTE: After a major route change in 1906, the organizers receive rave reviews from the citizens of Douai and decided to use the 1906 race route in 1907.
London born Frenchman Georges Passerieu was known as the “Englishman of Paris.” He came to Paris-Roubaix as a neo-pro for the Peugeot team.
Fifty-six riders on the start list rolled away from the start in Chatou. The elites of the race were controlling the pace of the peloton trough the early kms. Anticipating a grueling day on the road, the early race was not aggressive.
Race Status:
In Beauvais (80 km / 270 km), a ten-rider breakaway came to the control station together.
On the Doullens Hill (184 km / 270 km), Lucien Petit-Breton (Peugeot), Marcel Cadolle (Alcyon), Louis Trousselier (Alcyon), and Georges Passerieu (Peugeot) controlled the breakaway.
At Arras (210 km / 270 km), the leaders had 1’00” on Leon Georget (Peugeot) and 2’00” on Cyrille Van Hauwaert (La Francaise).
In Douai (225 km / 270 km), not a great sprinter, Passerieu needed to be solo to win the race. He launched a solid attack and rode away.
On the cobbled sections leading to Roubaix, Belgian Van Hauwaert passed a struggling Trousselier and Henri Cornet (Griffon) in pursuit of Passerieu.
In Roubaix, the crowd heard that leader had reached the velodrome and the band started to play Le Marseillaise, but nobody rode on to the track? The solo Passerieu met his only concern of the race when he was stopped at the entrance of the Roubaix Velodrome by a gendarme (police officer). The overzealous officer had to check the “road tax” plate on Passerieu's bike. After suffering for 265 kms, and with the riders closing quickly, an angry race leader pushed past the officer and emotionally flew around the final 6 laps of the track. He DID claim the 1907 Paris-Roubaix victory.
EDITORIAL NOTE: * The organizing newspaper L'Auto had urged the riders before the race to pay this fee. However, the officer’s bike check could have been completed after the race had finished! Why was the race leader targeted and stopped??? The answer remains a P-R mystery.
Passerieu had not crossed the finish when Van Hauwaert entered the velodrome. The huge Belgian contingent cheer wildly for Cyrille Van Hauwaert, who became the first Belgian to finish on the P-R podium!
SPECIAL NOTE: In honor of a fallen cycling hero, Georges Passerieu wore a jersey that belonged to his friend, teammate, and winner of the 1906 Tour de France, Rene Pottier. Pottier had taken his own life in January 1907.
P-R March 31, 1907 |
270 Km, Chatou (west of Paris) to Roubaix (Velodrome - Rue Verte, Criox)
|
1.
Georges PASSERIEU (Fra) 8hr45’00” |
2.
Cyrille Van Hauwaert (Bel)
+1'00" |
3.
Louis Trousselier (Fra) +3'00" |
Starters: 56 / Finishers: 22 Average Speed: 30.971 km/h |
|
P-R 1906
P-R 1908
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