- Title: French centenarian cycles into history at 105
- Date: 4th January 2017
- Summary: SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, FRANCE (JANUARY 4, 2017) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** 105-YEAR-OLD FRENCHMAN, ROBERT MARCHAND, ARRIVING TO APPLAUSE MARCHAND WALKING UP STEPS TO VELODROME CYCLING TRACK MARCHAND'S BIKE MARCHAND PREPARING FOR WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT MARCHAND'S COACH, JEAN-MICHEL RICHEFORT, SPEAKING TO MARCHAND / MARCHAND WALKING TOWARDS BIKE RICHEFORT SPEAKING TO MARCHAND MARCHAND STARTING WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT AS CROWD CHEERS MARCHAND CYCLING AROUND VELODROME TRACK SUPPORTERS IN STAND MARCHAND CYCLING AROUND VELODROME TRACK RICHEFORT GIVING GUIDANCE TO MARCHAND (SOUNDBITE) (French) ROBERT MARCHAND'S COACH, JEAN-MICHEL RICHEFORT, SAYING: "Each morning he spends between half an hour and an hour on an exercise bike, plus stretching and exercises. As for his physical fitness, for the past few days we came to try out the track, to do a few tests to get the right gear, the right pedalling rate so that Robert can attain this record in the best possible conditions." MARCHAND CYCLING AROUND VELODROME TRACK SUPPORTERS CHEERING MARCHAND CYCLING (SOUNDBITE) (French) SUPPORTER FROM DRANCY, RAYMOND PRADELOUX, SAYING: "If I could still cycle at his age, well... I think he's an exception, and it's wonderful to see a man, or a woman, still able to cycle at 105." VARIOUS OF MARCHAND CYCLING SUPPORTERS CHEERING MARCHAND COMPLETING HOUR-LONG WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT MARCHAND AFTER WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT, RAISING HANDS IN AIR AND WIPING TEARS FROM EYES MARCHAND SURROUNDED BY MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (French) 105-YEAR-OLD FRENCHMAN, ROBERT MARCHAND, SAYING: "I didn't see the sign that said it was the last minute, otherwise I would have been quicker." MARCHAND SURROUNDED BY MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (French) 105-YEAR-OLD FRENCHMAN, ROBERT MARCHAND, SAYING: "I feel quite emotional seeing all this, how is it that a 105-year-old is seeing this crowd? I'm wondering if it's really true." MARCHAND (SOUNDBITE) (French) 105-YEAR-OLD FRENCHMAN, ROBERT MARCHAND, SAYING IN RESPONSE TO QUESTION IF HE WILL MAKE THE SAME ATTEMPT AT THE AGE OF 107: "I have already managed to live to 105, I don't know. You know, sir, it takes nine months to come into this world and then only 30 seconds to kick the bucket." MARCHAND CYCLING AROUND TRACK
- Embargoed: 19th January 2017 18:13
- Keywords: Robert Marchand cycling world record centenarian 105 France bike cycle velodrome 105-year-old
- Location: SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, FRANCE
- City: SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Cycling,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0015XO0PCP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: French centenarian Robert Marchand wheeled his way into the record books on Wednesday (January 4) by cycling 22.547 km (14.01 miles) in one hour on a track near Paris at the age of 105.
Officials in the velodrome initially announced the distance as 22.528 km (14.00 miles), but the website of the French Cycling Federation later reported the distance was 22.547km.
Marchand has a huge following in France and was cheered on by hundreds of fans as he rode round the velodrome at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, clad in yellow and blue with the number 105 on his back.
The former fireman is no stranger to breaking records. Soon after his 100th birthday, he became the fastest cyclist of his age to cover 100 km (62 miles). At 102, he peddled almost 27 kilometres in one hour.
Born in 1911 in northern France, Marchand started riding a bike when he was 14 but only took up cycling seriously when he was 67.
He trained for six months for his performance on Wednesday.
"Each morning he spends between half an hour and an hour on an exercise bike, plus stretching and exercises. As for his physical fitness, for the past few days we came to try out the track, to do a few tests to get the right gear, the right pedalling rate so that Robert can attain this record in the best possible conditions," Marchand's coach Jean-Michel Richefort told Reuters Television.
Marchand, who weighs 50.5 kilograms (111.3 pounds), beamed at his success after his one-man race was over, telling journalists he could have done better.
"I didn't see the sign that said it was the last minute, otherwise I would have been quicker," he said, adding he would celebrate over dinner with his friends.
He was philosophical when asked if he would turn out again on the track in two years time.
"I have already managed to live to 105, I don't know. You know, sir, it takes nine months to come into this world and then only 30 seconds to kick the bucket," he said.
Marchand's previous best in the over-100s category was 26.927 km, which he set in 2014. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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