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French cyclist Robert Marchand sets new record aged 105 | French cyclist Robert Marchand sets new record aged 105 |
(35 minutes later) | |
He may not be the fastest cyclist round a velodrome, but he is easily one of the oldest. | He may not be the fastest cyclist round a velodrome, but he is easily one of the oldest. |
Robert Marchand has clocked up 105 years and now a new record for the furthest distance cycled in one hour. | Robert Marchand has clocked up 105 years and now a new record for the furthest distance cycled in one hour. |
The French cyclist managed 22.547km (14 miles) at the national velodrome, taking the top spot in a new category - for riders over 105. | The French cyclist managed 22.547km (14 miles) at the national velodrome, taking the top spot in a new category - for riders over 105. |
Mr Marchand already holds the record for those aged over 100 - 26.927km - set in 2012. | Mr Marchand already holds the record for those aged over 100 - 26.927km - set in 2012. |
He "could have done better", he says, but missed a sign showing 10 minutes to go. | He "could have done better", he says, but missed a sign showing 10 minutes to go. |
"My legs didn't hurt," he told BFMTV. "My arms hurt but that's because of rheumatism." | |
To be fair, he had admitted before the event at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome near Paris that breaking his previous hour record would be tough. | To be fair, he had admitted before the event at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome near Paris that breaking his previous hour record would be tough. |
"I'm not in such good shape as I was a couple of years back," he told AFP news agency. | "I'm not in such good shape as I was a couple of years back," he told AFP news agency. |
"I am not here to be champion. I am here to prove that at 105 years old you can still ride a bike," he said. | "I am not here to be champion. I am here to prove that at 105 years old you can still ride a bike," he said. |
Hundreds of spectators cheered him on trackside. | Hundreds of spectators cheered him on trackside. |
Born on 26 November 1911, Mr Marchand puts his fitness down to diet - lots of fruit and vegetables, a little meat, not too much coffee - and an hour a day on the cycling home-trainer. | Born on 26 November 1911, Mr Marchand puts his fitness down to diet - lots of fruit and vegetables, a little meat, not too much coffee - and an hour a day on the cycling home-trainer. |
A prisoner of war in World War Two, he went on to work as a lorry driver and sugarcane planter in Venezuela, and a lumberjack in Canada. | A prisoner of war in World War Two, he went on to work as a lorry driver and sugarcane planter in Venezuela, and a lumberjack in Canada. |
No stranger to sport outside cycling, he competed in gymnastics at national level and has been a boxer. | No stranger to sport outside cycling, he competed in gymnastics at national level and has been a boxer. |
The current men's hour record is held by the UK's Bradley Wiggins - 54.526km - which he set in June 2015. |
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