| Race Jury Decides… then, re-Decides the Victory
The 31st edition of Paris-Roubaix was held on March 20, 1930.
SPECIAL NOTE: Following the 1929 race the promoters faced harsh criticism for finishing P-R on a cinder running track. The Avenue des Villas returned as the finish line in 1930.
The race started at in Porte Maillot Paris from the depart fictif for a 10 km “neutral zone.” In Argenteuil, the flag dropped for the depart réel (actual start), at 7:45 am.
Paris-Roubaix 1930 was 'a tale of two riders', 'a narrow-cobbled lane', and 'a race jury'.
Young Frenchman Jean Marechal (Colin) and Belgian Julien Vervaecke (Alcyon) totally dominated the race and led the race for the final 65 kilometers.
Approaching Roubaix Vervaecke got team orders to stop working in the breakaway. Undaunted by the move Marechal continued to drive the pace. Later in the race Vervaecke launched an attack. Angrily, the Frenchman chased and caught the Belgian “wheelsucker”!!!
Through the final, narrow-cobbled section Marechal tried to pass Vervaecke and the two riders collided. Vervaecke lost control and tumbled into a ditch. Quickly back on the bike he chased hard but could not catch the Frenchman.
Riding onto the Avenue des Villas in Roubaix Jean Marechal (Fra) crossed the finish line for the apparent victory. 24 seconds later an irate Julien Vervaecke (Bel) crossed the line and immediately lodged a protest.
Anxiously race officials huddled to discuss the incident. The ruling determined that the incident was not intentional, so Marechal could not be disqualified.
However, external interests may have influenced an additional ruling by race officials. Contrary to the original ruling, Marechal was relegated to 2nd place, and the victory was awarded to Vervaecke.
SPECIAL NOTE: French observers noted that Vervaecke rode for the powerful Alcyon team, who spent substantial amounts of money on newspaper advertising. Marechal rode for a small Parisian contractor. No official proof was offered to support this theory but for the rest of his life Jean Marechal steadfastly claimed the 1930 Paris-Roubaix victory was stolen from him!
P-R March 20, 1930 |
258 Km, Porte Maillot Paris to Roubaix (Ave des Villas)
|
1.
Julien VERVAECKE (Bel) 8h11'14” |
2.
Jean Marechal (Fra) * |
3.
Antonin Magne (Fra) |
* finished 1st but was relegated |
Starters: 86 / Finishers: 35 Average Speed: 31.146 km/h |
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P-R 1929
P-R 1931
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