The jerseys - 21
ITEM N° 459
DEMARBAIX Sébastien (B) (19.12.1973)
His AG2R Prévoyance time trial kit, used in 2001
Originally from Bois-de-Lessines, Sébastien Demarbaix belongs to that generation of Belgian riders capable of excelling both on undulating roads and in major stage races.
Turning professional in 1996, he built his career around his endurance, climbing and team-work skills. He rode for several teams in succession, including Lotto, Palmans and AG2R Prévoyance.
Finishing third in the Japan Cup in 1999, he also competed in three consecutive Tours de France, from 1999 to 2001. After retiring from competition in 2002, he passed on his experience by taking on roles as a sports director with various professional teams.
Designed for time trials, this AG2R Prévoyance cycling jersey was worn by Sébastien Demarbaix during the 2001 season. Through its design, this jersey illustrates a stage in the evolution of cycling kit. In the early 2000s, the pursuit of performance was no longer confined to the bicycle itself: it also transformed the fabrics, cuts and riding position of the cyclist.
The dedication, the accompanying photographs and the fact that it belonged to Sébastien Demarbaix lend it a special human dimension. The item is not merely a testament to sporting technology: it also evokes the career and hard work of a professional rider within the peloton.
ITEM N° 093
DERYCKE Germain (B)
(02.11.1929 - 13.01.1978)
His "Carpano jersey" worn during the 1958 and 1959 seasons
Germain Derycke ranks amongst Belgium’s greatest classics specialists. A professional from 1950 to 1961, this powerful and resilient rider excelled on cobbled sections, over long distances and on the most demanding courses.
His exceptional list of achievements includes four of cycling’s five ‘Monuments’: Paris–Roubaix in 1953, Milan–San Remo in 1955, Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1957 and the Tour of Flanders in 1958. He also won the Flèche Wallonne in 1954 and a stage of the 1951 Tour de France.
Riding for Belgium, Germain Derycke finished as runner-up in the 1953 World Road Championships, behind Fausto Coppi, before winning the bronze medal at the 1955 World Championships.
This item is a jersey from the Italian Carpano team worn by Germain Derycke during the 1958 and 1959 seasons. This jersey brings together a great Belgian champion, an iconic Italian team and victory in the 1958 Tour of Flanders, one of the major events in the history of cycling. Its knitted fabric, collar, buttoned pocket and markings – all in a style very different from modern kit – bear witness to the conditions under which professional cyclists raced in the late 1950s.
Featured in the Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this jersey thus offers a rare insight into the 1958 and 1959 seasons and the career of a rider who won four of the five Monuments of cycling.
ITEM N° 583
DESBIENS Laurent (F)
(16.09.1969)
His leader’s jersey in the King of the Mountains classification at the 1993 Four Days of Dunkirk
Originally from Mons-en-Barœul, in the Nord department, Laurent Desbiens enjoyed a professional career from 1992 to 2001. An attacking and resilient rider, he proved particularly effective in breakaways and stage races.
As early as 1992, he won the Cholet–Pays de Loire and the Tour de Gironde. The following year, riding for Castorama, he won a stage and then the general classification of the Four Days of Dunkirk – a particularly memorable success for this rider who was deeply attached to his region.
During his seven appearances in the Tour de France, Laurent Desbiens won the stage finishing in Perpignan in 1997. In 1998, a long breakaway enabled him to claim the yellow jersey, which he held for two days.
This item is the King of the Mountains jersey worn by Laurent Desbiens during the 1993 Four Days of Dunkirk, following his victory in the first stage. This jersey brings together several important aspects of the history of regional and professional cycling: a rider from the Nord region, the Four Days of Dunkirk, the mountains classification and Laurent Desbiens’ overall victory in 1993. The dedications on the garment lend it an additional human dimension. They establish a direct link between the preserved item, the rider and those involved in the race.
