102-year-old cyclist sets world record
Robert Marchand (C), who is 102 years old, celebrates with friends after beating his own hourly cycling record, on January 31, 2014, at the national Velodrome of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines in Montigny-le-Bretoneux. AFP PHOTO / LIONEL BONAVENTURE
SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — Age hasn’t slowed French cyclist Robert Marchand.
The 102-year-old broke his own world record in the over-100s category Friday, riding 26.927 kilometers (16.7 miles) in one hour, more than 2.5 kilometers better than his previous best time in the race against the clock two years ago.
The retired firefighter and logger also holds a record for the 100 kilometers, covering the distance in four hours, 17 minutes and 27 seconds in 2012.
Marchand received a standing ovation and was mobbed by dozens of photographers and cameramen at the finish line in France’s brand-new National Velodrome, a 74-million-euro ($100 million) complex that officially opened its doors Thursday.
