Book Review: Robic 47
Jean Robic is perhaps best remembered for putting the Italian cyclist Pierre Brambilla to the sword on the final day of the 1947 Tour de France. He attacked on the côte de Bonsecours with rival Fachleitner. He was around 3 minutes down the yellow jersey. Fachleitner promised to work with Robic for 100,000 Francs and the French team manager Leo Veron drove ahead to signal to Lucien Teisseire, who was in an early break, to drop back and help. Coming into Paris Teisseire and Robic (who was riding for the West France team) had a collision - accident or dirty tricks to let Fachleitner win? Robic climbed back on his bike and caught Fachleitner arriving at the Parc de Prince stadium 10 minutes ahead of Brambilla and so taking the first post war Tour de France. It was said that the war really ended for France on that day.
Robic 47 recounts, in the first person, Robic's early days in cycling, his adventures during the war right up to the the arrival at the Parc de Princes. It plunges the reader into the world of immediate post war pro cycling. The dirty tricks and rivalries of a generation who had their careers interrupted by war. Despite being one of the leading climbers of his generation Robic was deemed too ugly to ride for France and picked up a ride with the West France team. The writer is Christian Laborde, who has the honour of being the last author banned in France by the official government censor. He worked with a number of people including Robic's son Jean-Loup while researching the story.
There isn't currently an English translation but the French is not too complicated and it is an excellent read, in a slightly different style to most books, about the period.
https://www.amazon.fr/Robic-47-Christia ... ewpoints=1
https://pelotonmagazine.com/features/remembering-robic/
postscript
Like many riders Robic had trouble adapting to the post-Pro lifestyle. He tried to run a bar (61 av de Maine, Montparnasse, now an Italian Restaurant), got into financial difficulties, divorced. On the night of the 5th October 1980, returning from a party of ex-pros, he collided with a lorry killing himself and Lianor Sanier instantly. It appears he fell asleep at the wheel. He had been drinking heavily and other riders had tried to stop him taking the wheel.
http://www.liberation.fr/evenement/2003 ... une_438858
Robic 47 recounts, in the first person, Robic's early days in cycling, his adventures during the war right up to the the arrival at the Parc de Princes. It plunges the reader into the world of immediate post war pro cycling. The dirty tricks and rivalries of a generation who had their careers interrupted by war. Despite being one of the leading climbers of his generation Robic was deemed too ugly to ride for France and picked up a ride with the West France team. The writer is Christian Laborde, who has the honour of being the last author banned in France by the official government censor. He worked with a number of people including Robic's son Jean-Loup while researching the story.
There isn't currently an English translation but the French is not too complicated and it is an excellent read, in a slightly different style to most books, about the period.
https://www.amazon.fr/Robic-47-Christia ... ewpoints=1
https://pelotonmagazine.com/features/remembering-robic/
postscript
Like many riders Robic had trouble adapting to the post-Pro lifestyle. He tried to run a bar (61 av de Maine, Montparnasse, now an Italian Restaurant), got into financial difficulties, divorced. On the night of the 5th October 1980, returning from a party of ex-pros, he collided with a lorry killing himself and Lianor Sanier instantly. It appears he fell asleep at the wheel. He had been drinking heavily and other riders had tried to stop him taking the wheel.
http://www.liberation.fr/evenement/2003 ... une_438858
BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
Instagramme
Instagramme
0
