The medals & plaques - 4
ITEM N°046
BRANKART Jean (B)
(12.07.1930 – 23.07.2020)
Award presented by the Olympic Sports Club
The champion honoured by this award was born on 12 July 1930 in Momalle, in the municipality of Remicourt. A professional cyclist from 1953 to 1960, Jean Brankart established himself as one of the finest Belgian road cyclists of the 1950s.
After finishing ninth on his first appearance in the Tour de France in 1954, he achieved the greatest feat of his career in the following edition. In 1955, he won two stages, including a time trial, and finished second in the general classification
Jean Brankart also distinguished himself in the Giro d’Italia. Seventh in 1956, he took second place in the 1958 edition and won the mountains classification. In 1959, he added the overall victory in the Grand Prix du Midi Libre to his list of achievements.
His prowess in solo efforts also enabled him to excel on the track. He became Belgian professional pursuit champion in 1956, 1958 and 1959. In the latter year, he also won the bronze medal at the World Pursuit Championships in Amsterdam.
The item on display is a bronze-coloured metal commemorative plaque presented to Jean Brankart by the Club des Sports Olympiques. This personalised honour pays tribute to the Belgian champion’s talent, tenacity and achievements. On the obverse, a cyclist is depicted in the throes of effort, his body leaning over the handlebars. The relief accurately captures his aerodynamic position, the movement of his legs and the various parts of his bicycle. Radiating lines in the background enhance the impression of speed. The word ‘CYCLISTE’ is inscribed vertically on the right-hand side of the design. This understated inscription immediately identifies the sporting discipline celebrated by the plaque. The reverse bears the inscription ‘SPORT – CLUB DES SPORTS OLYMPIQUES – BRANKART’. The inclusion of the rider’s name confirms that this award was specially made or engraved for him. The date and precise circumstances of its presentation are not currently documented. The plaque nevertheless stands as direct evidence of the recognition accorded to Jean Brankart by the sporting world.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this plaque from the Club des Sports Olympiques preserves the memory of Jean Brankart and the recognition accorded to one of the finest Belgian cyclists of his generation.
ITEM N° 062
BUYSSE Lucien (B)
(11.09.1892 – 03.01.1980)
Commemorative medal awarded to the winner of the 1926 Tour de France
Born on 11 September 1892 in Wontergem, East Flanders, Lucien Buysse – whose real name was Lucien Buyze – was one of Belgium’s great champions of the interwar period. A professional from 1913 to 1933, he was noted primarily for his endurance and his climbing ability.
Hailing from a veritable cycling dynasty, he belonged to a family that included several professional riders. His brothers Marcel, Jules and Cyriel also competed, as did several members of the next generation. Lucien Buysse took part in eight Tours de France. After finishing third in 1924, he came second in the 1925 edition and established himself as one of the finest stage-race riders of his era. The year 1926 marked the peak of his career. That edition of the Tour de France, covering 5,745 kilometres over 17 stages, remains the longest in the history of the Grande Boucle. In total, Lucien Buysse won five stages of the Tour de France. His triumph in 1926 remains associated with one of the most gruelling and heroic editions in the history of the Tour.
The item on display is an imposing commemorative bronze medal presented to Lucien Buysse in 1963, during the celebrations in Paris marking the fiftieth edition of the Tour de France. Its obverse depicts a mountainous landscape traversed by a winding road. Several cyclists are shown on the route, whilst the name ‘LUCIEN BUYSSE’ is inscribed in relief. The scene naturally evokes the Pyrenean mountain passes where the Belgian champion secured his victory in 1926. The reverse bears the inscription ‘TOUR DE FRANCE CYCLISTE’. In the centre is a coat of arms surrounded by laurel branches and sunbeams, symbols of victory and prestige. A band of motifs recalls the history and the various editions of the Grande Boucle.
The names of the newspapers *L’Équipe* and *Le Parisien libéré*, which were then associated with the organisation of the Tour de France, appear at the bottom. This medal thus embodies the tribute paid in 1963 to one of the race’s former winners.
Lucien Buysse, who died on 3 January 1980 in Deinze, is remembered as a courageous and tenacious rider, whose victory in the Pyrenean downpour has become part of cycling legend.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this commemorative medal preserves the memory of the tribute paid to Lucien Buysse, winner of one of the most gruelling Tours de France ever contested.
ITEM N° 377
CERAMI Pino (B)
(28.04.1922 – 20.09.2014)
The Orange Prize, awarded in 1960
Born Giuseppe Cerami on 28 April 1922 in Misterbianco, Sicily, Pino Cerami moved to Belgium with his family at a very young age. Settling in the Charleroi area, he turned professional in 1946 and was granted Belgian citizenship in 1956.
Winner of the Tour of Belgium in 1957, he enjoyed an exceptional season in 1960. At the age of 38, he won Paris–Roubaix and the Flèche Wallonne, before taking the bronze medal at the World Road Championships behind Rik Van Looy and André Darrigade. Cerami confirmed his calibre in 1961 by winning Paris–Brussels and the Flèche Brabançonne. A resilient and consistent rider, he remained competitive right up until the final years of his long career. In 1963, aged 41 years and three months, he won yet another stage of the Tour de France between Bordeaux and Pau. He thus became the oldest stage winner of the Tour de France since the Second World War.
The medal on display is the 1960 Prix Orange, an award presented by sports journalists to the rider considered the kindest and most likeable in the peloton. This distinction recognised the winner’s behaviour and personal qualities rather than their sporting results. It perfectly reflects the reputation of Pino Cerami, who was appreciated for his courtesy, his down-to-earth nature and his approachability.
Produced by the Brussels-based firm P. De Greef, the medal takes the form of a gilded medallion surrounded by a laurel wreath. Its centre bears the inscription: ‘Prix des journalistes sportifs – 1960 – M. Pino Cerami’. It is kept in its blue case lined with light-coloured satin.
The photograph above shows the singer and actress Josephine Baker personally presenting this award to Pino Cerami. This photograph is a valuable record of the ceremony held in 1960. The portrait below shows Cerami wearing the Peugeot team jersey. It captures the champion at the height of his career, during the season in which he won Paris–Roubaix and the Flèche Wallonne.
Pino Cerami, who passed away on 20 September 2014 at the age of 92, is remembered as a great Belgian-Italian champion, admired as much for his brilliant record of achievements as for his kindness.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this Prix Orange medal bears witness to the admiration and affection that Pino Cerami inspired in journalists, the public and his fellow cyclists.
