Robert Marchand cyclist

Robert Marchand, a French centenarian cyclist born on 26 November 1911 in Amiens, holds world records for cycling 100 km and one-hour distances in the over-105 age category. A firefighter in Paris during the 1930s, he actively participated in strikes that laid the groundwork for modern French employment laws. During World War II, he was a prisoner of war and later worked abroad in Venezuela as a lorry driver and sugarcane planter before moving to Canada in the 1950s as a lumberjack. Returning to France in 1960, he worked as a gardener and wine dealer until 1987.

Marchand, a lifelong member of the French Communist Party and CGT Trade Union, was also one of the oldest surviving World War II veterans at his death. He resumed cycling in 1978, achieving world records for one-hour track cycling at age 100 (24.250 km) and over-105 (22.547 km). In 2017, he was recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest competitive cyclist. Marchand attributed his longevity and fitness to a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and limited coffee, along with daily cycling on a home trainer.

Despite medical advice to stop competing after turning 106, Marchand continued racing, completing a 4,000-meter race at age 108. He celebrated his 107th birthday with a 20-kilometer bike ride but stopped outdoor biking due to hearing loss after turning 109. Marchand passed away on 22 May 2021 at the age of 109.