Cycling: He just can't stop. Despite the advice of his doctors, Robert Marchand got back on his racing bike. The 106-year-old rode 4.000 meters in the Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines Vélodrome on Sunday.
Marchand is a multiple record holder
Robert Marchand is a symbol of joie de vivre. It stands for a great fighting spirit, for never giving up and for the opposite of laziness or listlessness. He is a role model for many people - and rightly so. He is a multiple record holder and set the first hourly world record for over 100-year-olds. He also drove 100 kilometers in a row in four hours, 17 minutes and 27 seconds. In addition, only last year did he manage to cover 22,574 kilometers in one hour. A few weeks ago, those around him announced that the bike crazy would finally be giving up his bike. Not voluntarily, of course, but because the doctors advised him not to continue. Marchand suffers from rheumatism and finds it difficult to keep his balance. For these reasons, too, he has switched more and more from the road to the track in recent years.
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Marchand drove 106 meters at the age of 4.000
Although doctors advised him to stop participating in stressful competitions or to continue cycling in general, Robert Marchand made a small comeback on Sunday. At the old age of 106, the Frenchman, who was only 1,52 m tall, got back on his racing bike. In the Vélodrome of Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines he did 16 laps and was able to cover a total of 4.000 meters. He also announced that his career on the track is far from over. On the contrary: Marchand has a busy schedule. On June 23, he could once again take part as doyen at L'Ardéchoise. He would also like to celebrate his birthday on the bike around five months later. Then Robert Marchand will be 107 years old – but he certainly won't stop cycling.
"I'm here to show that as long as we're healthy, we can still do whatever we want. I didn't retire, I just slowed down."
"Je ne croyais pas que j'étais capable de rouler encore" declare le cycliste Robert Marchand, 106 years, après avoir parcouru a distance de 4 kilometers au vélodrome de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines #AFP pic.twitter.com/ogNkidQPnm
- Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) February 11, 2018