| Lapebie's GREAT Ride Goes for Naught
The 35th edition of Paris-Roubaix was held on Sunday, April 1, 1934.
Since the Paris-Roubaix of 1928, no Frenchman had won on the cobbles of northern France. French National Champion Roger Lapebie's fitness gave his country great hope for victory in 1934.
The race played perfectly into Lapebie's plan. A four-rider breakaway led the race with 10 km to the finish in Roubaix.
The race began to unravel for the two Frenchman in the breakaway when Rene Le Greves (Armor) broke his handlebars and Lapebie suffered a puncture. Lapebie rode on the rim for several hundred meters waiting for the team car.
When word came that the French team car was stuck behind in traffic, Lapebie could not wait. He spotted a woman's bike on the side of the road, in violation of the rules, grabbed it and continued to chase the 2 Belgians.
A few kilometers later the frantic Frenchman abandoned the 'too small' woman's bike and grabbed another roadside bike.
Brilliantly Lapebie caught a surprised Gaston Rebry (Bel-Alcyon) and Jean Wauters (Bel-Thomann) and blew right past both Belgians. He dropped Rebry and Wauters and rode solo down the Avenue des Villas to take an apparent victory…? A protest was lodged against the winner.
Rules of the race in 1934 stated that no “changing of bikes” were permitted. When race officials discovered Lapebie's winning bike was missing the official “race sticker”, the rule had to be enforced. He was disqualified.
Second placed rider Gaston Rebry was awarded the victory.
SPECIAL NOTE: Roger Lapebie's name would never appear on the list of P-R winners, but no one can deny his extraordinary ride in 1934.
P-R April 1, 1934 |
255 Km, Porte Maillot Paris to Roubaix (Ave des Villas)
|
x1 DQ'd * Roger Lapebie (Fra) |
1.
Gaston REBRY (Bel) 7h52'07” |
2.
Jean Wauters (Bel) +5" |
3.
Frans Bonduel (Bel) +3'32" |
Starters: 120 / Finishers: 54 Average Speed: 32.415 km/h |
|
P-R 1933
P-R 1935
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