BELGIUM: TOUR DE FRANCE WINNER EDDIE MERCKX RECEIVED BY KING BAUDOUIN AND QUEEN FABIOLA

Record ID: 636690

  • Title: BELGIUM: TOUR DE FRANCE WINNER EDDIE MERCKX RECEIVED BY KING BAUDOUIN AND QUEEN FABIOLA
  • Date: 21st July 1969
  • Summary: 1. GV CROWDS WAITING OUTSIDE ROYAL PALACE (3 SHOTS) 0.13 2. MV CAR ARRIVES, CROWDS SERGE FORWARD 0.24 3. SV & MV CROWDS OUTSIDE ROYAL PALACE 0.32 4. MV CAR SURROUNDED BY CROWDS 0.38 5. SV ROYAL PALACE 0.43 6. ???V KING AND QUEEN OF BELGIUM DOWN STEPS OF PALACE 0.48 7. CU MERCKX PAN TO KING RECEIVING YELLOW JERSEY 1.04 8. MV MERCKX AND HIS WIFE TALK TO KING 1.10 9. CU MERCKX PAN TO KING TALKING 1.15 10. MV PRESSMEN 1.17 11. MV MERCKX AND WIFE STAND WITH KING AND QUEEN FOR PRESS PHOTOGRAPHERS 1.20 Initials LD/V/AS/PC SPORT: CYCLING Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 5th August 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • Country: Belgium
  • Reuters ID: LVABYGTH4SOTNAS13ENKPJG5IXJY
  • Story Text: YESTERDAY (SUNDAY) EDDY MERCKX BECAME THE FIRST BELGIAN IN 30 YEARS TO WIN THE TOUR DE FRANCE CYCLING EVENT - AND ALSO THE FIRST MAN TO WIN THE CONTEST ON ALL COUNTS; OVERALL, POINTS AND MOUNTAIN CLASSIFICATIONS. TODAY HE AND HIS TEAM RETURNED TO BRUSSELS WHERE THEY WERE FETED BY KING BAUDOUIN AND QUEEN FABIOLA AT THE ROYAL PALACE.

    IN THE 2,556-MILE (4,115-KM) RACE, MERCKX ESTABLISHED HIS LEAD EARLY ON AND HELD IT THROUGHOUT AND, BY THE TIME WE SWEPT INTO HE VINCENNES VELODROME IN PARIS YESTERDAY, HE HAD NO NEED TO PUSH FOR THE FINAL VICTORY DASH.

    FOR THE PAST 24-HOURS BELGIANS HAD BEEN POURING INTO THE FRENCH CAPITAL TO SEE THE 24-YEAR-OLD FORMER WORLD CHAMPION REACH THE END OF THE GRUELLING RACE. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME MERCKX HAD PARTICIPATED IN THE TOUR OF FRANCE AND THE VICTORY BROUGHT HIM A RAPTUROUS WELCOME FROM HIS FELLOW-COUNTRYMEN.

    THE BELGIAN TEAM, FAEMA, ALSO CAME FIRST IN THE FINAL TEAM PLACINGS.

    AT TODAY'S ROYAL RECEPTION IN BRUSSELS, EDDY MERCKX PRESENTED KING BAUDOUIN WITH THE YELLOW JERSEY WHICH IS SYMBOLIC OF THE CYCLING VICTORY.

    KING BAUDOUIN AND QUEEN FABIOLA POSED AT THE PALACE WITH CHAMPION EDDY MERCKX AND HIS WIFE.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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