He's blasted to a new hour record for those aged 105 years and older; nice one.
Already a hero of French, and indeed world, cycling Robert Marchand has grabbed another piece of history today.
The centenarian three years ago set a new hour record for those in the 100+ years old category when he clocked 26.927km.
He was 102-years-old back then and today, now aged 105 years, he has broken another age-related record.
This time it was again the hour that he tackled, clocking 22.547km in the 105+ years age group.
The former firearm pulled a large crowd for his successful record attempt at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome in his native France.
Related News
And he said after the effort near Paris that he was now waiting for somebody to come and fight him for the record.
Advertisement
“I did not see the sign warning me I had 10 minutes left,” he told reporters after his ride. “I would have gone faster, I would have posted a better time. I'm now waiting for a rival.
"My legs didn't hurt. My arms hurt but that's because of rheumatism. I'm not in such good shape as I was a couple of years back.
"I am not here to be champion. I am here to prove that at 105 years old you can still ride a bike.”
He puts his longevity down to a diet that includes plenty of fruit and veg. He only drinks small quantities of coffee and does an hour on the turbo trainer every day.
He competed at national level gymnastics when he was younger and has also boxed.
While in his 30s he was a prisoner of war during WW II and worked driving lorries and planting sugarcane in Venezuela and as a lumberjack in Canada.
Topics
