It isn't the title of a new film. Fauvette is one of the bright secretaries of our paper. During the summer she is promoted to godmother of the team of "roule-toujours" who will defend the colors of France-soir in the annual championnat des porteurs de journaux.
Because these "roule-toujours", which form part of the traditional characters of the Parisian street scenes, will race for glory Sunday.
They need a champion.
All the teams have the drive and all hope to find the winner in their midst.
The team of France-soir, selected according to the indications of MM. Beaurumé and Martin, of our sales office, presents itself as follows:
Jean PIETERS (captain), excellent amateur road and track rider, nicknamed "La Rampant", he is 26 years old, resident of Belleville, covers a daily route of 53 km.
Raymond DUPONT, nicknamed "Blondinet", animator of the race last year, 24 years old; resident of Chatenay-Malabry. Rides 47 km daily.
Jacques BELLOTI, nicknamed "Le Râleur", 30 years old; resident of Ménilmontant. Rides 53 km daily.
Henri DELSAUT. nicknamed "Riton", 28 years old; resident of la Nation. Rides 51 km daily.
Raymond DELLOUP, nicknamed "Le Cyclope", 31 years old; resident of Boulogne. Rides 49 km daily.
Roger MARAIS, nicknamed "La Banquette", 28 years old; resident of Charenton. Rides 45 km daily.
André GUILLAUME, nicknamed "Quinze Nœuds", 27 years old; resident of La Garenne. Rides 60 km daily.
Edmond DARRIVE, nicknamed "Croquignol", 32 years old; resident of Le Perreux, Rides 57 km daily.
Jean LEBLOND, nicknamed "Le Chevelu", 37 years old (the old man); resident of Auteuil. Rides 53 km daily.
This team is put under the compentent leadership of our sales inspector ANDRé DREUX, nicknamed "L'Eponge", who will follow the race and direct the battle.
Article courtesy of Jean Pieters.
Tomorrow afternoon Jean Friederich, 1948 champion of the "roule-toujours" "will put his title on the line" on the 38 kilometers of the traditional course which will take the 93 competitors from the Montmartre-Réaumur crossroads to the Moulin de la Galette along the outer boulevards.
On their usual work bicycles, the competitors will carry a 15 kg. load of newspapers which they will have to exchange at the porte d'Orleans control and one can predict that, according to tradition, the battle will be severe.
Ribeyre ( the 1946 winner), Chapuis, Gallotini, Samson, Pieters, Dupont, Prestat, Pellon, Bacquet, Buffroy, Cathelin, Nele, Sans, and Toros will be among those trying hardest to dispossess Jean Friederich of the title which he acquired last year at the expense of Cahu and Pieters.
The latter carry many hopes, and based on their performance in the recent open category races, we think that they is ready to reach the top. However the singular character of this race should not make us dismiss the possibility of a surprise whose author would have to be particularly well-prepared.
Helene Thibouville and Andrée Regnier will represent the feminine "race" and will certainly not miss encouragements along the length of the course.
Article courtesy of Jean Pieters.
The championship of the newspaper couriers was won by Cathelin. Here we see the start of the race, rue Montmartre
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The start has just been given by Bordes in front of the building of Ce Soir. And already the main actors of this championship have moved to the front. One can see in the first rank, from left to right: Dupont, Peters and Prestat. |
In the alley beside the viaduc d'Auteuil, the peloton is already dwindling. The cobbles are doing their work. In sixth position, Cathelin is moving up. |
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To put into play their qualities as professional porteurs, they had to take on new loads at porte d'Orleans. At this operation, Pieters and Chapuis were the most agile. |
After disposing of all his adversaries on the boulevard Poniatowski, Cathelin arrives victorious, very tired, at the summit of the avenue Junot |
Advertisement for Cycles Olympia, citing Cathelin's victory
To skirt round Paris in 57 minutes having used the exterior boulevards, with a 15 kg load on the rack, represents a real exploit. It is that which was realized yesterday by Lucien Cathelln, the new champion of the "roule-toujours". A bike racer with a future and teammate of Caput in the classic races, Cathelin is perhaps not a true "professional of paper", but his untarnished victory will reaffirm the value of the places of honor of his immediate followers: Pieters, Chapuis, Prestat (a former winner) and Friederich (victorious in 1948)
A good cyclist of a build reminding one of that of Speicher, Cathelin comes as one of our best hopes. For a long time his courage was lacking but it seems decided today to grip the straps of his pedals.
The "Championnat des Roule-Toujours" must again be considered to be a big corporate race. And he who says "corporate" thinks "team spirit". By this plan, the representatives of Ce Soir proved to be the best, thanks to Chapuis (an energetic racer), Friederich (who we shall soon find in cyclo-cross) Guillier and Logay. As this year passes, the "blue-banded whites" carried off the Coupe Verdière reward given to the team with the most consistant results.
A tradition...
Results: 1. Lucien CATHELIN (Ce Soir), 38 km in 57m 17s.; 2. Pieters (France-Soir) in 59m 01s; 3. Chapuis (Ce Soir); 4. Prestat (N.M.P.P.); 5. Friedrich (Ce Soir); 6. Corchia (Ce Soir); 7. Dupont (France-Soir); 8. Paccon (Ce Soir); 9. Guillier (ind.); 10. Ollivier V.F.); 11. Stevens (Ce Soir); 12. Pelon (N.M.P.P.)
Article courtesy of The Horton Collection.
Class, style, elegance, the new king of the Parisian "roule-toujours" has all that. He displayed it yesterday, on the Croissant à Montmartre, on the 38 kilometers of the difficult course around Paris.
It should be said that Lucien Cathelin is the same racer that we find this year under the leadership of Ludovic Feullet, then Emile Muion, at the starts of the great international races; this is merely a reference point.
As the trade of a professional cyclist does not always provide for a man, Cathelin, who is 25 years old, has worked each evening for three years, for the account of our compatriots Sport-Complet, the round of a porteur in the suburds of Courbevoie and les Vallées. This is why he was qualified for the championship, although he is not a "roule-toujours" 100% of the time, for whom, in our opinion, the race should be reserved.
The second place rider was a porteur of the France-Soir team, Jean Pieters, a former pro, who abandoned his career at a young age, but who continues nevertheless to race on road and track successfully.
- I did the utmost, acknowledged Pieters at the finish; but I must admit that Cathelin was too strong.
The race proceeded at a tremendous speed in some of the worst traffic of the year, but the "roule-toujours" proved that they had not only terrible strength on the pedals, but also perfectly sharpened reflexes; true champions of the streets of Paris with whom the untrained professionals would certainly not have any interest in battling with. And their champion is really a champion.
Article courtesy of Jean Pieters.
Racing for the first time the Championnat de "roule-toujours", Lucien Cathelin, professional for Olympia, [tenait particulierement a vaincre]. He was seen to escape despite a broken toe-strap and to preserve a 300 meter lead until the approach to the Porte d'Orleans where Chapuis, Pieters and Ollivier joined him.
The change of package a the same gate was to the advantage of Chapuis and Pieters which were fastest to carry out the transfer. But Cathelin, who had replaced his broken toestrap, was not beaten yet. He managed to catch and drop his two adversaries before the Porte de Charenton which he passed with 300 meters lead. Consequently, the race was over and Cathelin, with ease, did not increase his advance which amounted at the finish to 1 ' 44" on Pieters' excellent second.
23 years old, Lucien Cathelin only came to the sport of cycling in 1944. Professional for two seasons, he currently carries the courleurs of Olympia, which does not prevent him from working as a porteur for Sport-Complet for the past three years.
It is certain that in this affair, Cathelin had little to lose, but the way in which his built his success left no room for ambiguity.
Pieters was one of keenest at work in the pursuit. But he did not succeed any more than Prestat, Chapuis or Ollivier to put the winner in difficulty.
Friederich, winner last year, still holds the race record at 54' 20". He was handicapped at place de l'Etoile following a crash with a car which bent his wheel.
Mrs. Andrée Regnier finished the course in 1 h 6' 40 ", that is to say, 9' 23" behind the winner. As for the Coupe Cinzano, it was kept, like last year, by the team of Ce Soir.
RESULTS - 1. Lucien Cathelin (Sport-Complet) 38 km in 57' 17", bicycles Olympia, tires Dunlop; 2. Pieters (France-Soir) at 1' 44"; 3. Chapuis (Ce Soir); 4. Prestat (NMPP); 5. Friederich (Ce Soir) 6. Corchia (Ce Soir); 7. Dupont (France-Soir); 8. Baccon (Sport-Complet); 9. Cahu (NYT); 10. Ollivier (VF); 11. Stevens; 12. Pellon; 13. Samson; 14. Legay; 15. Ribeyre; 16. Treton; 17. Pasty; 18. Belotti; 19. Provost; 20. Delsaut; 21. Darcq; 22. Georget; 23. Gallotini; 24. Jouteau; 25. Noblanc; 26. Bacquet; 27. Lefevre; 28. Jubier; 29. M. Toros; 30. Vannier; 31. Jacquet; 32. Vonsoneau; 33. Valle; 34. Speurt; 35. Remy; 36. Mme. Regnier, etc...
Challenge Verdière: 1. Ce Soir (Chapuis, Friederich, Corcina, Legay), 20 points
Article courtesy of Jean Pieters.
The Championnat des "roule-toujours" was an enormous success. From the rue Montmartre - where the start was - until the famous Butte, while passing by place de Clichy, through l'Etoile (otherwise known as the most beautiful traffic jam ever created), passing again the portes d'Orleans, d'Italy, de Pantin, and the Stalingrad roundabout, everywhere an enormous crowd came to cheer the valiant porteurs de journaux.
But it is not only a very Parisian and purely corporative event that we cheered, but a true race.
A Race of champions, won by a champion, Lucien Cathelin arrived alone at the Moulin de la Galette. It was the victory of one of our best hopes, a young professional road racers, who, next year, may add his name to the palmarés of great classic.
Cathelin was the favorite of the experts. But Jean Pieters, another good road and track racer, decided to battle him until the end.
That is what he did. And while Cathelin, who escaped at of the Porte d'Orleans, led the dance, he was chased in a splendid pursuit engaged by Pieters and the valiant representative of Ce Soir, Chapuis.
After his victory, Cathelin was celebrated by the commune libre de Montmartre, in village fashion... and the far from the least happy is his directeur sportif, Emile Muion, who followed the race from start to finish.
For a long time the result remained undecided, because Pieters and Chapuis joined their efforts; but Cathelin, in great form, and full possession of his power, was not caught and, to the contrary, increased his lead until the end of the race.
Behind these three racers, definitely separated - and that is to the honor of Chapuis as a pure professional - one still found another group remaining after the hard tests of the outer boulevards, ten porteurs among whom were Friedrich, last year's winner, and Corchia who, with Chapuis, ensured the supremacy of their team.
Article courtesy of Jean Pieters.
The championnat des porteurs de journaux, aided by fine weather, was a success, prehaps even more so than preceding years.
It was our favourite Lucien Cathelin (Sport-Complet) who, this year, made a promising professional start under the colors of Olympia, who masterfully won this race organized by the Club Sportif Des Nouvelles Messageries de la Presse Parisienne, finishing solo.
Jean Pieters finished within 2 minutes of the winner, who completed the 38 kms circuit at an average speed of 40 km/h, in spite of his 15 kilo load.
Samson led the peloton off at a very quikc pace. After the start on Réaumur, a score of riders escaped after the place Clichy. Among the break, let us name Friederich, last year's winner, Prestat, Cathelin, Ribeyre, Pieters, Pellon, Ollivier, Ancourt, Pasty, Triton, Legay, etc.
Too many cars - one would believe it was the Tour de France - after the place l'Etoile somewhat affected the race and allowed some racers to catch the group.
Along the boulevard Lefebvre, Cathelin and Ollivier escaped.
After the Porte de Versailles, Cathelin was alone. The hope of Olympia, who was followed for the rest of the race by his directeur sportif, Emile Mallon, showed a simple ease. But he broke a toe-clip, which he replaced at the Porte d'Orleans, i.e. along with a new load of 15 kilos of paper.
Pieters and Chapuis benefited from this and passed Cathelin, who, with Ribeyre, Dupont, Prestat, Friedrich, Ollivier and Rene Guillier formed a select group which [dévalle à toute allure] on the boulevard Masséna and caught the two fugitives.
Baccon and Stevens came back through the cars on the boulevard Soult, but Cathelin had escaped and his splendid pace prevented his competitors from worrying him...
Lucien Cathelin, who arrived alone at the avenue Junot, is 24 years old and, at the finish, declared to us:
"This race seemed to me as difficult as a great professional competition because, with the load and the cobbles, it is no joke!"
RESULTS: i. Lucien CATHELIN (Sport-Complet), 38 km in 57' 17"; 2. Jean Pieters (France-Soir) 59' 1"; 3. Chapuis, 4. Prestat, 5. Friedrich, 6. Corchia, 7. Dupont, 8. Baccon, 9. René Guillier, 10. Ollivier, 11. Stevens, 12. Pellon, 13. Samson, 14. Legay, 15. Ribeyre, 16. Treton, 17. Pasty, 18. Belotti, 19. Provost, 20. Delsaut, etc...
Article courtesy of Jean Pieters.
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"Fauvette" with the Frace-Soir team |
Jean Pieters leading a group during the race |
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Jean Pieters during the race |
Jean Pieters crossing the finish line on avenue Junot |
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Jean Pieters shortly after the finish |
The peloton during the race, Jean Pieters on the right, swerving around a parked car |
Photos courtesy of Jean Pieters.
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