I read the article on the front page and wasn't satisfied.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/1939-paris-roubaix-winner-masson-dies-at-age-95
First, it implies that Masson sr 's biggest win is a Tour de France stage.
Masson sr won Bordeaux-Paris (most prestigious classic back then) and the GP Wolber, id est the World Championship before it was created.
I read the son's autobiography "Mon père et moi, franc Masson du cyclisme belge" (My father and me, free Masson of Belgian cycling).
It's full of anecdotes about the old days. I have no time now to tell much of it.
Just to say that he won the Flèche wallonne under heavy rain (yeah Buffalo, every Belgian can race through the rain) dropping Sylvère Maes in the Côte d'Hallembaye. Apparently, Maes showed no love for him. Actually, on administrative paper, next to "citizenship", Maes wrote "Flemish", which means that for him, Masson was "Walloon".
In 1939 he rode the Tour de France as a domestique for Maes because national coach Steyaert (?) believed he was too heavy to be a leader, despite Goddet saying he could one day win.
Anyway, war was declared in late 1939. Masson was mobilized in the "Fort d'Eben Emaël, one of the first to be taken over by the Germans in May 1940. Masson spend his next 6 years in Nazi camps.
In 1946 he was back to become Belgian champion AND won Bordeaux-Paris 24 years after daddy.
He received that year the Edmond Gentil Trophy (present-day Vélo d'Or), was preferred over Coppi and Bartali, for his BP wins after 6 years of captivity.
He was Paris-Roubaix's eldest winner still alive. And no Paris-Roubaix winner has lived longer.
The Queen of the Classics lost three old winners in the last 4 months now: André Mahé, Raymond Impanis and Émile Masson.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/1939-paris-roubaix-winner-masson-dies-at-age-95
First, it implies that Masson sr 's biggest win is a Tour de France stage.
Masson sr won Bordeaux-Paris (most prestigious classic back then) and the GP Wolber, id est the World Championship before it was created.
I read the son's autobiography "Mon père et moi, franc Masson du cyclisme belge" (My father and me, free Masson of Belgian cycling).
It's full of anecdotes about the old days. I have no time now to tell much of it.
Just to say that he won the Flèche wallonne under heavy rain (yeah Buffalo, every Belgian can race through the rain) dropping Sylvère Maes in the Côte d'Hallembaye. Apparently, Maes showed no love for him. Actually, on administrative paper, next to "citizenship", Maes wrote "Flemish", which means that for him, Masson was "Walloon".
In 1939 he rode the Tour de France as a domestique for Maes because national coach Steyaert (?) believed he was too heavy to be a leader, despite Goddet saying he could one day win.
Anyway, war was declared in late 1939. Masson was mobilized in the "Fort d'Eben Emaël, one of the first to be taken over by the Germans in May 1940. Masson spend his next 6 years in Nazi camps.
In 1946 he was back to become Belgian champion AND won Bordeaux-Paris 24 years after daddy.
He received that year the Edmond Gentil Trophy (present-day Vélo d'Or), was preferred over Coppi and Bartali, for his BP wins after 6 years of captivity.
He was Paris-Roubaix's eldest winner still alive. And no Paris-Roubaix winner has lived longer.
The Queen of the Classics lost three old winners in the last 4 months now: André Mahé, Raymond Impanis and Émile Masson.
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