During the early days of road cycling races, bicycle events quite often produced extraordinary scenes. One of the most hilarious (and also a bit sad) ones, almost like a comedy sketch happened at the Paris-Roubaix in 1907.

French cyclist Georges Passerieu, leader of the race arrived to the gates of the Velodrome in Roubaix alone, after escaping from a smaller group with better sprinters, whom he would have never been able to defeat in a bunch sprint.

Nevertheless, one of his chasers, Cyrille van Hauwaert was getting closer and closer to him. An intense finale was about to happen. But the crowd inside the velodrome was waiting and cheering for the future champion in vain. Nobody was seen entering the track.

It turned out, that Passerieu was stopped by a gendarme, who demanded him to show the obligatory tax plate allowing him to own and ride a bike. As it would be just an ordinary traffic cotrol on an ordinary day and not such a professional cycling race, like Paris-Roubaix.

No wonder, that Passerieu got nervous, and shooted at the policeman to let him continue his ride.

But his emotional overreaction had also special reason: he was wearing René Pottier’s shirt during this race. Pottier, winner of Tour de France in previous year, committed suicide in early 1907. He was Passerieu’s mentor and friend and the protégè wanted to honor the late champion with his success.

There is a happy end for this story: Georges Passerieu could continue his ride just in time, and was able to cross the finish line first.

More about Paris-Roubaix winners from the pre-WW1 era (before 1914)

Monument winner of the day: Cyrille Van Hauwaert

Cyrille Van Hauwaert's story reads like a folk legend. A big, strong Flemish farm boy who didn't speak French, he arrived in Paris two days before...

Monument winner of the day: Hippolyte Aucouturier

The image of a French cyclist in a striped shirt may feel like a cliché, but sometimes stereotypes hold a surprising amount of truth.