The medals & plaques - 10
ITEM N°165
KOBLET Hugo (CH)
(21.03.1925 – 06.11.1964)
Gold medal presented by Italian sportsmen in Castelletto d’Orba in 1954
Born on 21 March 1925 in Zurich, Hugo Koblet began his cycling career on the track before going on to become one of the finest road cyclists of his era. Elegant, cheerful and always impeccably presented, he was nicknamed ‘The Charming Cyclist’ ’.
An excellent rider, he dominated the Swiss pursuit championship for several years. He won eight consecutive national titles in this discipline between 1947 and 1954, whilst building up a remarkable record of achievements on the road.
The year 1950 marked his international breakthrough. Hugo Koblet became the first foreign rider to win the Giro d’Italia. He also won the Tour de Suisse and the Swiss Road Championship. In 1951, he triumphed brilliantly in the Tour de France. His long solo breakaway between Brive and Agen remains one of the most famous feats in the history of the Tour de France. In Paris, he finished ahead of Raphaël Géminiani and Lucien Lazaridès in the general classification. Hugo Koblet went on to win the Tour de Suisse again in 1953 and 1955. His list of achievements also includes numerous stage victories in the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France, as well as several successes on the track and in Six-Day races.
The medal on display was presented to him in 1954 by Italian admirers from Castelletto d’Orba, in Piedmont. It does not appear to commemorate victory in any specific race, but rather serves as a tribute to his achievements as a whole and to the popularity he enjoyed in Italy. The inscription can be translated as follows: ‘To the imaginative champion Hugo Koblet, from the Italian sportsmen of Castelletto d’Orba – 1954’. The Italian word ‘fantasista’ highlights his elegance, creativity and panache in his riding style.
Preserved in its red case bearing the inscription ‘De Luxe – 18-carat gold’, this medal has an exceptional provenance. The letter reproduced on the display mount indicates that it was personally entrusted to the museum by Sonja Koblet, the champion’s wife. She describes it as one of her husband’s very last personal mementoes and expresses the wish that it be preserved with due care. The photograph shows Hugo Koblet alongside Sonja and offers a glimpse into a more intimate side of his life. It contrasts with the image of the great champion admired for his good looks, his elegance and his immense sporting talent.
Hugo Koblet died tragically on 6 November 1964, aged 39, following a car accident. He remains one of the most endearing and prestigious figures in the history of Swiss cycling.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this gold medal bears witness to the admiration held in Italy for the ‘Charming Cyclist’ and maintains a direct link with Hugo Koblet’s family.
ITEM N° 192
MAES Romain (B)
(10.08.1912 – 22.02.1983)
His medal from the Grand Gala of All Sports on 25 November 1939
Born on 10 August 1912 in Zerkegem, West Flanders, Romain Maes began competing in cycling at the age of 17. He turned professional in 1933, riding for the Alcyon-Dunlop team, and quickly made a name for himself through his courage and attacking style.
After making his debut in the Tour de France in 1934, he was once again selected for the Belgian team for the 1935 edition. Right from the first stage between Paris and Lille, Romain Maes broke away, claimed victory and took the yellow jersey.
On 28 July 1935, Romain Maes crossed the finish line as the winner at the Parc des Princes. He topped the general classification ahead of the Italian Ambrogio Morelli and his compatriot Félicien Vervaecke. Having won three stages, he achieved the feat of wearing the yellow jersey from the first to the last day of the Tour. The cover of *Le Soir Illustré* dated 3 August 1935, reproduced in the montage, bears witness to the enthusiasm this victory sparked in Belgium. It shows Romain Maes on his arrival at the Parc des Princes, heading towards his mother who had come to cheer him on.
His career continued with several notable results. In 1936, he finished second in Paris–Roubaix, despite having crossed the finish line ahead of Georges Speicher, who was declared the winner by the judges. In 1939, he won a time trial stage of the Tour de France, wore the yellow jersey once again and took second place in the Tour of Flanders.
The medal on display was presented to Romain Maes at the Grand Gala of All Sports, held on 25 November 1939. Awarded four years after his triumph in the Tour de France, it pays tribute to his entire career and to the special place he occupied at that time in Belgian sport. One side features a female profile surrounded by sporting symbols, including the Olympic rings. The other bears the commemorative inscription for the gala, accompanied by laurel motifs symbolising victory and sporting recognition.
After racing as a professional until 1942, Romain Maes gradually withdrew from competition. He subsequently ran an establishment in Brussels whose name was directly inspired by his greatest success: Le Maillot Jaune.
Romain Maes, who died on 22 February 1983 in Grand-Bigard, remains in history as one of the few Tour de France winners to have held the top spot in the general classification from start to finish.
Displayed in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this medal commemorates the tribute paid in 1939 to the man who had given Belgium one of its most resounding triumphs in the Tour de France.
ITEM N° 193
MAES Romain (B)
(10.08.1912 – 22.02.1983)
The commemorative medal he received from the Palais des Sports in Brussels
Romain Maes grew up in a large family and began competing in cycling races at around the age of 17. He turned professional in 1933 with the Alcyon-Dunlop team.
After making his debut in the Tour de France in 1934, he was selected the following year for the formidable Belgian national team. On 4 July 1935, during the first stage between Paris and Lille, he attacked and won solo. This victory enabled him to don the yellow jersey immediately. Romain Maes courageously defended his lead throughout the race. He also won the eleventh stage in Cannes, then took the final stage at the Parc des Princes. After more than 4,300 kilometres of racing, he claimed the overall victory ahead of the Italian Ambrogio Morelli and the Belgian Félicien Vervaecke. Having won three stages, Romain Maes achieved the exceptional feat of wearing the yellow jersey from the first to the last day of the 1935 Tour de France. He thus became one of Belgium’s most popular champions.
The photograph shown depicts the cyclist carrying out a repair at the side of the road. It serves as a reminder of the difficult conditions in which the champions of that era sometimes had to carry out repairs to their bicycles themselves before resuming the race.
The preserved medal was presented to Romain Maes by the Palais des Sports in Brussels, probably in honour of his victory in the Tour de France. As the exact date of its presentation is not engraved on the item, however, this cannot be stated with certainty. The obverse of the medal depicts two cyclists in the thick of the race. The reverse bears simply the inscription ‘Tribute from the Palais des Sports in Brussels’. This wording indicates that it is an honorary distinction rather than a medal for a specific race.
Romain Maes continued his career until 1942. He finished second in Paris–Roubaix in 1936 and in the Tour of Flanders in 1939. That same year, he also won a time trial stage of the Tour de France and briefly wore the yellow jersey.
After his sporting career, he ran an establishment in Brussels called Le Maillot Jaune, which became a popular haunt for cycling enthusiasts and personalities from the sport. Romain Maes died on 22 February 1983 in Grand-Bigard, aged 70.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this medal bears witness to the tribute paid by the famous Palais des Sports in Brussels to the prestigious winner of the 1935 Tour de France.
