| Journalists Create a Paris-Roubaix Legend: “The Hell of North”
The 20th edition of Paris-Roubaix was held on Sunday, April 20, 1919. This was the first edition of P-R held after an interruption of five years during World War 1.
The bloody battles of WW1 were over and 1919 marked the overdue return to elite racing. As soon as the Armistice was signed (Nov. 11, 1918), P-R organizers announced their intention to revive their event.
At the end of January 1919, race director Henri Desgrange revealed in L'Auto the return of the “Queen of the Classics”, Paris-Roubaix.
The war had devastated the roads (most unusable) north of Paris and race officials scrambled to reorganize the racecourse. Journalists, who inspected the brutal war-torn roads, coined the ‘epic’ phrase “the Hell of the North” to describe the 1919 Paris-Roubaix.
War torn road of Northern France
Huge 'racing starved' crowds braved rain and cold temperatures to witness the race from the start all the way to Roubaix.
SPECIAL NOTE: the finish line of the race had to be moved from the war-ravaged Roubaix Velodrome, which had renovations pending, to the Avenue de Jussieu (behind the dairy) in Roubaix.
Most of the 136 riders, who started the 1919 Paris-Roubaix, had not trained enough for racing. Only Philippe Thys (La Sportive), Henri Pélissier (J.B. Louvet) and Honoré Barthélémy (La Sportive) carried limited but superior fitness into the race.
Race Status:
Favorable weather conditions in the opening kilometers kept the peloton together until the control station at Beauvais (71 km / 280 km). Serious attacks increased the pace.
From Breteuil (112 km / 280 km), weather conditions changed quickly and made the race tougher. On the already bad roads the riders suffered from an intense drop in temperatures and a strong headwind.
The peloton’s progress slowed significantly on the open fields near Amiens (128 km / 280 km).
On the climb at the exit of Doullens (145 km / 280 km), multiple riders experienced punctures due to scandalous fans throwing tacks/nails on the road. Several race favorites were forced to abandon the race. Police could not identify the criminals.
The breakaway on the Hill at Doullens.
In Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise (186 km / 280 km), Francis Pélissier (J.B. Louvet) launched another serious attack, which generated a new select group at the head of the race.
Riding through Cambrin (226 km / 280 km), Francis and Henri escaped the group with only Philippe Thys able to hold the wheels.
On the cobbles near Armentieres, the breakaway was reduced to three riders, when Francis Pélissier began to suffer a hunger knock and lost contact with the leaders.
Shortly before Seclin (257 km / 280 km), Honoré Barthélémy (Fra) returned to Philippe Thys (Bel) and Henri Pélissier (Fra).
Near Seclin, the trio came to a level crossing for a train stopped on the track blocking the road. Feeling the race lead slipping away, Henri Pélissier decided to cross a section of the train. With his bicycle in hand, Pelissier moved through train. Thys and Barthélémy quickly followed him.
SPECIAL NOTE: The Roubaix Velodrome was under repair so the finish in 1919 was moved to Avenue de Jussieu in Roubaix (behind the dairy).
As the trio approached the ‘dairy’ Pelissier spotted the new finish line and attacked. An unsuspecting Thys could not answer the attack and Henri Pelissier (Fra) out sprinted the Belgian for the P-R victory.
Barthélémy, quite clearly exhausted, settled for third place.
SPECIAL NOTE: Sadly, two great Paris-Roubaix champions lost their lives fighting in World War 1:
Octave Lapize (Fra), P-R champion in 1909, 1910, and 1911 died during the battle at Verdun on July 14, 1917, when his airplane was shot down during a combat mission.
Francois Faber (Lux), P-R champion in 1913, died heroically on the battlefield during the May 9, 1915, “Battle of Artois” at Carency (near Arras).
P-R April 20, 1919 |
280 Km, Suresnes to Roubaix (Ave de Jussieu, behind the dairy)
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1.
Henri PELISSIER (Fra) 12h15'00" |
2.
Philippe Thys (Bel) |
3.
Honore Barthelemy (Fra) |
Starters: 136 / Finishers: 25 Average Speed: 22.857 km/h |
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P-R 1914
P-R 1920
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