| Rebry's Toughest Victory Ties the Record
The 36th edition of Paris-Roubaix was held on April 21, 1935. All the elites of cycling contested the race in 1935.
SPECIAL NOTE: * The official finish line was moved from the Avenue des Villas in Roubaix to the Hippodrome de Flanders (horse race track) in neighboring town Marcq-en-Baroeul.
Rain was falling as 160 riders set out from Porte Maillot, near Paris. The race rolled slowly out of the city. In Argenteuil the official starter’s flag dropped.
Through the early kilometers an incredible number of riders crashed on the treacherous roads. Several of the race’s favorites were involved, but no serious incidents occurred. But Charles Pelissier (Génial Lucifer), Jean Marechal (Colin), and Romain Gijssels (Dilecta) lost time.
Race Status:
The pace remained fast going into the climb of the Doullens hill (160 km / 262 km). This was the famous P-R launching pad for breakaways, but this year huge crowds in Doullens greeted the peloton. The crowd narrowed the road over the climb, attacks were impossible.
Defending champion Gaston Rebry set the relentless pace and broke the race apart on the roads after Doullens. Twenty riders went clear.
An elite 20-rider breakaway after Doullens.
Punctures thinned the pack, a few elites lost time with mishaps.
At Carvin (220 km / 262 km), 8 riders, led by Rebry and Andre Leducq (Mercier) remained at the front of the race.
On the streets of Seclin (244 km / 262 km), Rebry took a hard turn on the front and three more riders dropped from the group.
The smaller but elite group moved away. Through the toughest cobbled sections north of Seclin (250 km / 262 km) punctures, crashes and mechanicals reduced the breakaway to two riders.
Rebry and Frenchman Andre Leducq rode alone into the final kilometers, when Leducq punctured. The Frenchman’s ‘wheel change’ came quickly, but the powerful Rebry was gone.
The Belgian cruised into the Hippodrome for his record tying 3rd Paris-Roubaix victory (P-R - 1931, 1934, 1935).
Andre Leducq rolled in 2'34” later to claim second place.
SPECIAL NOTE: Defending champion Gaston Rebry attained legendary status with a record tying third Paris-Roubaix victory in 1935 (equaling Octave Lapize - 1909, 1910, 1911).
SPECIAL NOTE: * the Hippodrome de Flanders in Marcq-en-Baroeul (Flanders Horse Racing Track) saw 40,000+ spectators in the stands to watch a day of horse racing AND see the finish of the “Queen of the Classics”.
P-R April 21, 1935 |
262 Km, Porte Maillot Paris to Marcq (Flanders Horse Track)
|
1.
Gaston REBRY (Bel) 6h40'57” |
2.
Andre Leducq (Fra) +2'34” |
3.
Jean Aerts (Bel) +4'44” |
Starters: 160 / Finishers: 66 Average Speed: 37.363 km/h |
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P-R 1934
P-R 1936
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