The jerseys - 18
ITEM N° 410
DARRIGADE André (F)
(24.04.1929)
His ‘Alcyon – Leroux – Hutchinson’ jersey, worn in 1961
A leading figure in French cycling during the 1950s and 1960s, André Darrigade was one of the most formidable sprinters of his generation. Fast, powerful and exceptionally consistent, the rider from the Landes region excelled in both the classics and the major stage races.
Road World Champion in 1959, he built up a remarkable record in the Tour de France, in which he competed fourteen times. He won 22 stages, wore the yellow jersey on several occasions and also topped the points classification. His list of honours includes, notably, the 1956 Tour of Lombardy and a vast number of victories achieved over the course of a long professional career.
This item is a jersey from the Alcyon – Leroux – Hutchinson team worn in 1961, a period during which André Darrigade rode for this famous French team.
The significance of this item also lies in its history of ownership. The jersey was donated by Mr C. Speicher, son of Georges Speicher, another leading figure in French cycling, winner of the Tour de France and world champion in 1933.
This provenance thus establishes a remarkable link between several generations in the history of French cycling and considerably enhances the garment’s heritage value.
ITEM N° 099
DE VLAEMINCK Eric (B)
(23.03.1945 – 04.12.2015)
His 1973 cyclo-cross world champion’s jersey
Eric De Vlaeminck remains one of the most illustrious figures in the history of Belgian and international cyclo-cross. An exceptional specialist in woodland, mud and technical courses, he dominated his discipline during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
He built up an extraordinary record by becoming world cyclo-cross champion seven times, in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973. This string of victories established him as the undisputed benchmark in the sport and one of the leading figures of the golden age of Belgian cyclo-cross.
The brother of Roger De Vlaeminck, another great Belgian champion, Eric nevertheless forged his own legend, closely associated with challenging terrain and major winter competitions.
This item is a remarkable cyclo-cross world champion’s jersey worn by Eric De Vlaeminck in 1973, the year of his seventh world title. It thus symbolises the culmination of an exceptional reign of dominance in a discipline deeply rooted in Belgian sporting tradition.
The photographs accompanying the item also help to link the garment to the champion: one shows De Vlaeminck in the thick of the action, carrying his bike in the challenging conditions typical of cyclo-cross, whilst the other illustrates how the jersey has been preserved and passed down through the generations.
ITEM N° 101
DE VLAEMINCK Roger (B)
(24.08.1947)
His ‘BROOKLYN’ jersey, worn in 1975
Roger De Vlaeminck is one of the greatest figures in the history of Belgian cycling. An exceptionally versatile rider, capable of winning on cobbled roads as well as in hilly classics, sprints and cyclo-cross, he was one of the leading champions of the 1970s.
Nicknamed ‘Monsieur Paris-Roubaix’, he won the famous cobbled classic four times, in 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1977. His impressive list of victories also includes Milan–San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, the Tour of Lombardy and numerous stages of the Giro d’Italia.
He belongs to the very exclusive circle of riders who have won all five Monuments of cycling, an exceptional testament to his versatility and longevity at the very highest level.
This item is a BROOKLYN team jersey worn by Roger De Vlaeminck in 1975, one of the most iconic seasons of his career. Far more than just a team jersey, this jersey is a tangible testament to the golden age of the classics and professional cycling in the 1970s.
Its now-iconic design, its association with the Brooklyn team and, above all, its direct link to Roger De Vlaeminck – one of the greatest classics specialists of all time – give it significant historical and heritage value.
Housed within the Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this jersey thus keeps alive the memory of ‘Monsieur Paris-Roubaix’ and a particularly prestigious era in the history of Belgian cycling.
