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Paris-Roubaix podium history | 1929 edition | 1931 edition

What's the big idea? The Golden Sayings of Epictetus is available as an audiobook here. For the Kindle eBook version, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

The race:

The 1930 Paris-Roubaix was 258 km long and raced an an average speed of 31.51 km/hr.

There were 86 starters and 35 classified finishers.

With 65 kilometers to go Leander Gijssels, Julien Vervaecke and Jean Maréchal were well clear of the pack. Gijssels could not stay with the other two and dropped back.

Maréchal and Vervaecke bumped elbows and Vervaecke went down, allowing Maréchal to scoot down the road and beat Vervaecke to the finish by 24 seconds.

Vervaecke protested and was declared the winner.

It is generally thought Vervaecke's powerful sponsor Alcyon was able to use its financial muscle to bring about the strange decision. After all, it was just a normal, banal bump between two riders, which happens all the time. Maréchal died maintaining he was the rightful winner.

Here's Jean Maréchal crossing the line first.

1930 Paris-Roubaix winner Julien Vervaecke (center, rider closest to the photographer) before the start of a stage in the 1928 Tour de France.

Complete Results:

1. Julien Vervaecke (Alcyon-Dunlop) 8hr 11min 14sec.

2. Jean Maréchal (Colin-Wolber)
3. Antonin Magne (Alleluia-Wolber) @ 6min 48sec
4. Emile Joly (Génial Lucifer) s.t.
5. Nicolas Frantz (Alcyon-Dunlop) s.t.
6. Jean Aerts s.t.
6. Frans Bonduel (Dilecta-Wolber) s.t.
6. Armand Van Bruaene (La Nordiste-Wolber) s.t.
6. Jerôme Declercq s.t.
6. Maurice De Waele (Alcyon-Dunlop) s.t.
6. Aimé Dossche (La Nordiste-Wolber) s.t.
6. Marcel Gobillot (Dilecta-Wolber) s.t.
6. André Godinot s.t.
6. Hector Leroy s.t.
6. Désiré Louesse (Oscar Egg-Dunlop) s.t.
6. Pierre Magne (Alleluia-Wolber) s.t.
6. Hector Martin Elvish-Wolber) s.t.
6. Jules Merviel (Alleluia-Wolber) s.t.
6. Georges Ronsse (La Française-Diamant-Wolber) s.t.
6. Bernard Van Rysselberghe (Dilecta-Wolber) s.t.
6. Gustaaf Van Slembrouck (Génial Lucifer) s.t.
6. Odile Taillieu s.t.
6. Alfred Haemerlinck (La Nordiste-Wolber) s.t.
6. Heiri Suter (Génial Lucifer) s.t.
6. Petrus "Pé" Verhaegen (Génial Lucifer) s.t.
26. Jean Wauters (Daring-Alix)
27. Jef Dervaes
28. Victor Fontan (Elvish-Wolber)
29. Alfred Dira
30. Leander Gijssels
31. André Leducq (Alcyon-Dunlop)
32. August Verdijck (Dilecta-Wolber)
33. Louis Delannoy (La Française-Diamant-Wolber)
34. Georges Lalaoup
35. Ernst Meier (Génial Lucifer)