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Paris-Roubaix podium history | 1953 edition | 1951 edition

Rik van Steenbergen rides the cobbles of the 1952 Paris-Roubaix.

Les Woodland's book Cycling Heroes: The Golden Years is available in the print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right. In the book he tells the story of Rik van Steenbergen's 1952 Paris-Roubaix ride

The race:

The 1952 Paris-Roubaix was 245 km long and raced at an average speed of 41.94 km/hr.

There was an unknown number of starters and 95 classified finishers. There are no time splits after 27th place. Ten riders were awarded twelfth place.

Rik van Steenbergen performed a legendary bridge up to Fausto Coppi, Jacques Dupont and Ferdy Kübler. Soon it was just van Steenbergen and Coppi.

Coppi attacked over and over again, knowing van Steenbergen would prevail in a sprint. They arrived at the Roubaix velodrome together, where the Belgian prevailed.

Van Steenbergen said he was at the end of is tether and if Coppi had attacked once more, Van Steenbergen would have been dropped.

Coppi regretted not going solo earlier to stay out of the reach of the powerful van Steenbergen, who had now won his second Paris-Roubaix in four years.

Winner Rik van Steenbergen (center) in a undated photo

Complete Known Results:

1. Rik van Steenbergen (Mercier-Girardengo-Clement): 5hr 50min 31sec.

2. Fausto Coppi (Bianchi-Pirelli) s.t.
3. André Mahé (Terrot-Wolber) @ 11sec
4. Ferdy Kübler @ 57sec
5. Jacques Dupont (Dilecta-Wolber) s.t.
6. Désiré Keteleer @ 1min 4sec
7. Louison Bobet (Stella-Huret) @ 1min 23sec
8. Robert Varnajo (Gitane-Hutchinson) s.t.
9. Loretto Petrucci (Bianchi-Pirelli) s.t.
10. Antonin Rolland (Terrot-Hutchinson) s.t.
11. Maurice Bloome s.t.
12. André Declerck s.t.
12. Roger Decock (Bertin-d'Alessandro)s.t.
12. Boudewijn Devos s.t.
12. Albert Dolhats (La Perle-Hutchinson) s.t.
12. Bernard Gauthier (Mercier-Hutchinson) s.t.
12. Ettore Milano (Bianchi-Pirelli) s.t.
12. André Rosseel (Terrot-Hutchinson) s.t.
12. Albéric "Briek" Schotte (Alcyon-Dunlop) s.t.
12. Donato Zampini s.t.
12. Josef de Feyter s.t.
22. Raymond Impanis @ 2min 38sec
23. Valère Ollivier @ 3min 4sec
24. Renzo Soldani (Legnano) @ 3min 17sec
25. Constant "Stan" Ockers (Peugeot-Dunlop) s.t.
26. Jean Bobet (Stella-Huret) s.t.
27. Marcel Rijckaert (Mercier-Hutchinson) @ 3min 47sec
28. André Darrigade (La Perle-Hutchinson)
29. Raoul Rémy
30. Jean Storms
31. Georges Meunier (La Perle-Hutchinson)
32. Liéven Lerno
33. Ange Le Strat (La Perle-Hutchinson)
34. Jacques Renaud (Mercier-F. Pélissier)
35. Alfredo Martini (Welter-Ursus)
36. Raphaël Glorieux (Mercier-Hutchinson)
37. Lucien Matthijs
38. Louis Déprez (Mercier-Hutchinson)
39. Hein Van Breenen
40. Lode Anthonis
41. Louis Caput (Delangle-Wolber)
42. Félix Bermudez
43. Basile Wambeke
44. Hugo Koblet
45. Jean Robic (Colomb-Dunlop)
46. Guido De Santi
47. Giuseppe Minardi (Legnano)
48. Jean Carle (Dilecta-Wolber)
49. Alain Moineau (Mercier-Hutchinson)
50. Eugène Telotte (Mercier-F. Pélissier)
51. Donato Piazza
52. Charles Joly
53. Guy Lapébie
54. Gilbert Bauvin
55. Emile Baffert
56. Attilio Lambertini
57. Serge Blusson
58. Jean Baldassari
59. Jozef Schils
60. Jean-Marie Cieleska
61. Raphaël Géminiani
62. Noël Lajoie
63. Vittorio Seghezzi
64. Albert Dubuisson
65. Florent Methieu
66. Maurice Quentin
67. Alfos Wouters
68. Alois Van Steenkiste
69. Pierre Brambilla
70. Antonin Canavese
71. Nello Lauredi
72. Roger Peiremans
73. Jean Chateau
74. Hans Dekkers
75. Lucien Teisseire
76. Gérard Buyl
77. Pierre Gaudot
78. Stanislaus Bober
79. Henk Faanhof
80. Fritz Schaer
81. Fernand Tricot
82. Marcel Dussault
83. Fiorenzo Crippa
84. Marcel Buysse
85. Frans Gielen
86. Franco Giacchero
87. Gilbert Vermote
88. Jacques Geus
89. Stefano Gaggero
90. Jean Dacquay
91. Gilbert Regnard
92. Virgilio Salimbeni
93. Roger Huet
94. Louis Viola
95. Georges Ramaloulux