In love with the bicycle and amateur cyclist, specialist of speed records, the French centennial Robert Marchand died tonight at the age of 109, announced this Saturday (05/22/2021) the mayor of Mitry-Mory, where he lived. Marchand had retired from cycling in January 2018 at the age of 106 on the advice of doctors, who feared for his health as his blood pressure sometimes spiked as he continued to ride the bike.
“With great sadness, we have known the disappearance of our friend, comrade, and champion Robert Marchand at the age of 109 years. Rest in peace my friend and thank you for all the dreams that you have made live”, writes Charlotte Blandiot-Faride, mayor of the Party French Communist Mitry-Mory, in a message on Facebook.
Born on November 26, 1911, in Amiens, Robert Marchand lived his life as an epic. After having given up a professional cycling career in his youth, he practiced various trades, from firefighter to sugarcane farmer. The celebrity came late, in his sixties, as an amateur cyclist.
He chained marks of late ages: time record of more than 100 years, of more than 105, and obtained the title of world champion of road cycling of more than 105 years. On January 4, 2017, in his unprecedented record in the category of more than 105 years, his notoriety had pushed some television channels to broadcast live his 92 laps of the track at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome, on the outskirts of Paris, where he achieved a mark of 22,547 kilometers traveled in 60 minutes.
Amelia Warner
Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.
