Emile Idée, the oldest surviving Tour de France stage winner, has died at his dwelling close to Paris aged 104.
Idée was considered one of his nation’s high racers within the Forties, turning professional in 1942 and changing into a famend time triallist and racing the Tour 3 times.
Idée’s profession, like so many others, was badly affected by World War II. But he nonetheless managed to overcome each the National Championships and the now-defunct GP Nations, broadly thought-about for a few years to be the unofficial World Championships time trial title, on a number of events.
Idée was a professional for 12 years for the Alcyon-Dunlop, La Perle–Hutchinson, Olmo-Fulgor and Peugeot-Dunlop groups. According to L’Équipe, Idée was keen on declaring that he had rubbed shoulders throughout his profession with high French biking figures like triple French Tour de France winner Louison Bobet in addition to Maurice De Muer and Jean De Gribaldy, who later turned two of France’s most famed sports activities administrators.
Internationally, Idée competed towards riders of the calibre of Belgian Classics stars Briek Schotte and Rik van Steenbergen – behind whom Idée completed second within the 1948 Paris-Roubaix – and all-time Italian nice Fausto Coppi.
Five occasions Idée gained considered one of France’s high stage races, the Critérium National – later often known as the Criterium International, which held its final version in 2016 – previous to his dying. Idée was the oldest surviving rider from the primary ever post-WWII Tour de France, held in 1947.
But the crowning second of Idée’s profession got here in his third and closing participation within the Tour de France in 1949, triumphing from a five-rider break on stage 13 into Nimes.
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“I used to be a quick finisher on the time,” he instructed L’Équipe, “and within the break, there was an Italian rider. I instructed him ‘If you try to bounce away, I’ll offer you a proper thumping.” Whether or not his rival took Idée at his phrase isn’t clear, however in any case, Idée was the quickest within the break and gained the one Tour de France stage of his profession.
Idée then retired in 1952 and went on to open a collection of motorbike outlets, dwelling for nearly the entire the rest of his life in Melun, close to Paris.