The medals & plaques - 8
ITEM N°083
DE BRUYNE Fred (B)
(21.10.1930 – 04.02.1994)
His Belgian Medal of Sporting Merit
Born on 21 October 1930 in Berlare, Alfred ‘Fred’ De Bruyne turned professional in 1953. A shrewd tactician and formidable finisher, he quickly established himself as one of the finest classics riders of his generation.
The year 1956 marked his rise to the very top. He won Milan–San Remo, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Paris–Nice, as well as three stages of the Tour de France. In 1957, Fred De Bruyne had a remarkable season, winning the Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix and Paris–Tours. He also claimed two further stages of the Tour de France and cemented his dominance in the major one-day races. He won Paris–Nice for a second time in 1958 and took Liège–Bastogne–Liège again in 1958 and 1959. A three-time winner of the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo from 1956 to 1958, he was then regarded as the world’s finest classics rider. His honours list includes six Tour de France stages and victories in four of the five Monuments of cycling. However, a serious accident in 1960 brought his sporting career to a premature end, which concluded in 1961. Fred De Bruyne then went on to enjoy a brilliant second career. He became a journalist and commentator on Belgian television, and later a sports director. His knowledge of the sport and his talent as a storyteller earned him great popularity with the public.
The award on display is a Belgian Medal of Sporting Merit, awarded to Fred De Bruyne in recognition of his achievements and the way in which he represented Belgium on the international circuit. Suspended from a green ribbon crossed by a yellow band, the medal’s obverse depicts two athletes shaking hands above the word ‘Sport’. The reverse bears a crowned monogram and the Latin motto ‘Patria Belgica Memor’, evoking the gratitude of the Belgian homeland. The provenance of the item is confirmed by a letter dated 4 March 1995 and sent from Seillans by Lydie De Bruyne, the champion’s widow. In it, she explains that she had found two medals and several photographs relating to her husband’s career, which she entrusted to the museum to help establish a museum dedicated to cycling champions. This letter, written just over a year after Fred De Bruyne’s death, lends the medal a special historical and sentimental value. It establishes a direct link between the cyclist’s family and the Noël GREGOIRE Collections.
Displayed in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this medal and the accompanying letter bear witness both to Fred De Bruyne’s achievements and to his wife’s desire to preserve and pass on his sporting legacy.
ITEM N° 084
DE BRUYNE Fred (B)
(21.10.1930 – 04.02.1994)
His Prix de l’Effort Sportif, awarded on 5 April 1957
Born on 21 October 1930 in Berlare, Fred De Bruyne became one of Belgium’s leading classics specialists during the 1950s. A powerful rider and a remarkable tactician, he pursued his professional career from 1953 to 1961.
The year 1956 saw his talent come to the fore. He won Paris–Nice, Milan–San Remo and Liège–Bastogne–Liège, claimed three stages of the Tour de France and finished top of the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo, an international ranking honouring the season’s best rider.
Following these exceptional results, the Belgian Cycling Federation awarded him the Prix de l’Effort sportif on 5 April 1957. The preserved medal bears his name and the date of the award. Its obverse depicts a seated male figure holding a statuette, whilst the engraved reverse commemorates the awarding body and the circumstances of the award.
Just two days after receiving this award, Fred De Bruyne won Paris–Roubaix. Having already won the Tour of Flanders on 31 March, he thus achieved a prestigious double within the space of a week. He also won Paris–Tours and retained the Desgrange-Colombo Challenge, which he would go on to win for a third time in 1958.
His list of victories includes, notably, Milan–San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, Paris–Tours, three editions of Liège–Bastogne–Liège, two Paris–Nice races and six stages of the Tour de France.
After his racing career, Fred De Bruyne became a much-loved figure on Belgian television, before going on to become a sports director. Fred De Bruyne, who died on 4 February 1994 in Seillans, is remembered not only as a great classics rider, but also as a familiar voice in Belgian cycling.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this medal is a valuable testament to the recognition accorded to Fred De Bruyne at the height of his career.
ITEM N° 119
GARNIER Henri (B)
(19.10.1908 – 04.01.2003)
His commemorative plaque as winner of the 1936 Tour de Suisse
Born on 19 October 1908 in Feschaux, in the province of Namur, Henri Garnier competed as a professional cyclist from 1933 to 1937. A resilient rider and an excellent climber, he excelled particularly in stage races and on mountainous routes.
As early as 1934, he finished seventh in the Tour de Suisse. The following year, he confirmed his ability by finishing second in the Tour de Belgique and third in the Tour de Suisse. He also took part in the 1935 Tour de France, though he did not finish it.
Henri Garnier achieved his greatest success in June 1936. After winning the first stage of the Tour de Suisse between Zurich and Davos, he took the lead in the race and subsequently demonstrated great consistency on the mountainous routes. He also won the mountains classification. At the end of the seven stages and over 1,650 kilometres of racing, Henri Garnier claimed victory in the general classification ahead of his compatriot Gustaaf Deloor and the Swiss rider Léo Amberg. He thus became the first Belgian rider to win the Tour de Suisse, finishing more than seven minutes ahead of the runner-up. This victory was one of the great international successes of Belgian cycling during the 1930s. On his return, Henri Garnier was welcomed and honoured in Dinant. In 1937, during his final professional season, he again secured podium places in the Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège.
This plaque commemorates his historic victory in 1936. Crafted from gilded metal, it depicts several cyclists in full flight during the race. The engraved inscription recalls the name of Henri Garnier, his success in the Tour de Suisse and the tribute paid by the Belgian Cycling League. This piece has a particularly valuable provenance. The handwritten document reproduced on the display mount indicates that Henri Garnier personally donated the trophy and the history of the race to the museum on 18 August 2002. This gesture reflects his desire to preserve and pass on the memory of his career.
Henri Garnier died on 4 January 2003 at the age of 94. His name remains associated with one of Belgium’s first major victories in an international stage race.
Featured in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this trophy preserves the memory of the pioneer who, in 1936, opened Belgium’s record of victories in the Tour de Suisse.
