Félicien Vervaecke
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Personal information | |
---|---|
Full name | Félicien Vervaecke |
Date of birth | March 11, 1907 |
Date of death | October 31, 1986 |
Country | Belgium |
Team information | |
Discipline | Road |
Role | Rider |
Rider type | Climber |
Professional team(s) | |
1930-1939 | Alcyon/Labor |
Major wins | |
Tour de France polka dot jersey (2x) Six stages in the Tour de France |
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Infobox last updated on: | |
26 June 2007 |
Félicien Vervaecke (Dadizele, 11 March 1907 - Brussels, 31 October 1986) was a Belgian professional cyclist from 1930-1939. In the Tour de France he showed good results, finishing three times on the podium (second once, third twice). In 1935 and 1937 he won the mountain classification, and overall he won 6 stages. In the 1936 Tour de France, Vervaecke was on his way to the second place, but bad luck prevented him. First his bicycle broke, and he had to convince a spectator to borrow his bicycle. Then he suffered a flat tire, and Tour director Jacques Goddet forced him to wait on the reserve material car. While waiting for that car, competitor Antonin Magne passed him. When he got his new tire, he raced back to Magne, and only finished 18 seconds behind him. But he still finished 3th place, as he received 10 minutes penalty because his wife had given him drinks during the race, which was not allowed.[1] In the 1937 Tour de France, Vervaecke won the mountain classification despite not finishing the race, something that is no longer allowed in the rules. After his cycling career, Vervaecke started a bicycle shop in Brussels. He was the first manager of Eddy Merckx.
His older brother Julien Vervaecke was also a successful cyclist, finishing 3rd place in the 1927 Tour de France.
[edit] Major results
- 1929
- Paris-Lens
- Tourcoing-Dunkerque-Tourcoing
- 1932
- Tour de France:
- Did not finish
- Tour de Corrèze
- 1934
- Tour de France:
- Final classification: 4th place
- Giro d'Italia: Stage 8
- 1935
- Tour de France
- Final classification: 3th place
- Winner King of Mountains classification
- Paris-Nice: Stage 5B
- 1936
- Tour de France
- Final classification: 3th place
- Winner of stage 19B
- Paris-Nice: Stage 1
- 1937
- Tour de France
- did not finish
- Winner King of Mountains classification
- Winner stage 10
- Paris-Nice: Stage 5A
- 1938
- Tour de France
- Final classification: 2nd place
- Winner of stage 4C
- Winner of stage 8
- Winner of stage 10B
- Winner of stage 20B
- 1939
- Tour de France
- did not finish