The trophies - 1
ITEM N°001
AERTS Jean (B)
(08.09.1907 – 15.06.1992)
His silver trophy, won at Crystal Palace in London on 12 June 1937
Born on 8 September 1907 in Laeken and died on 15 June 1992 in Bruges, Jean Aerts was one of the leading figures in Belgian cycling during the interwar period. A powerful and fast rider, he excelled on both the road and the track.
Amateur road world champion in 1927, he went on to become professional world champion in 1935. He was thus the first rider to win the world title in both categories.
His list of honours also includes Paris–Brussels in 1931, the Tour of Belgium in 1933 and the Belgian road championship in 1936. In five appearances at the Tour de France, he won twelve stages and wore the yellow jersey for one day in 1932. Jean Aerts also enjoyed several successes on the track. In 1937, partnering Omer De Bruycker, he won the Six Days of Brussels and the Six Days of New York.
On 12 June 1937, he took part in an international race held on the new Crystal Palace road circuit in London. The event featured 26 competitors over 52 laps, covering a total distance of approximately 60 miles. Jean Aerts took the win after 2 hours, 36 minutes and 41 seconds of racing. He finished three-fifths of a second ahead of his compatriot François Adam following a particularly close finish.
The item on display is the silver trophy awarded to Jean Aerts for this victory. The trophy is accompanied by a handwritten letter from Jean Aerts. In it, the champion mentions several trophies he had collected during his career, including the one won at this international criterium in London. A contemporary press article completes this documentary collection. It recounts the course of the race, specifies the distance and the winner’s time, and confirms the narrow lead achieved by Jean Aerts over François Adam.
Displayed in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this trophy preserves the memory of Jean Aerts’s international victory on the Crystal Palace circuit. The cup, the handwritten letter and the newspaper article form an exceptional collection that establishes the history and provenance of this item.
ITEM N° 002
AERTS Jean (B)
(08.09.1907 – 15.06.1992)
The trophy presented by the Swiss champion Oscar Egg to the 1935 world champion
Born on 8 September 1907 in Laeken and died on 15 June 1992 in Bruges, Jean Aerts was one of Belgium’s great champions of the interwar period. Powerful and fast, he achieved significant results on both the road and the track.
Amateur road world champion in 1927, he turned professional the following year. His notable victories included Paris–Brussels in 1931, the Tour of Belgium in 1933 and the Belgian road championship in 1936. In five appearances at the Tour de France, Jean Aerts won twelve stages and wore the yellow jersey for one day in 1932. On the track, he also won the Six Days of Brussels and New York in 1937 alongside Omer De Bruycker.
In 1935, the Road World Championships were held in Floreffe, Belgium. Jean Aerts triumphed in the professional race and claimed the rainbow jersey ahead of the Spaniard Luciano Montero and his compatriot Gustave Danneels. Following his title in the amateur category in 1927, this victory made him the first rider to become world road champion in both categories.
The item on display is a trophy presented to Jean Aerts by the Swiss champion Oscar Egg to celebrate his 1935 world title. Born in 1890, Oscar Egg distinguished himself on both the road and the track. A former world hour record holder, he also became a bicycle manufacturer and developed the famous Super Champion derailleur.
The trophy has a tall, slender shape, topped by a wide upper rim. Two geometric handles adorn its sides, whilst its base rests on a square plinth of dark stone.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this trophy commemorates Jean Aerts’s world title victory in 1935 and the tribute paid to him by Oscar Egg. The object and the accompanying documents provide a remarkable account of the links between the champions and manufacturers of cycling’s history.
ITEM N° 003
AERTS Mario (B)
(31.12.1974)
His winner’s trophy from the 2001 Tour of the Province of Lucca
Born on 31 December 1974 in Herentals, Belgium, Mario Aerts is a former Belgian professional cyclist. At home on hilly and mountainous routes, he enjoyed a career at the very highest level from 1996 to 2011.
He won the Grand Prix d’Isbergues in 1996, followed by the overall classification of the Circuit Franco-Belge in 1997. A consistent performer in stage races, he also finished sixth in Paris–Nice in 2001. That same year, Mario Aerts claimed the overall classification of the Tour of the Province of Lucca, an Italian stage race held in Tuscany. This victory was one of the major highlights of his career.
In 2002, he won the Flèche Wallonne at the summit of the Mur de Huy. This victory in a major Ardennes classic remains the most prestigious result of his career.
A rider with exceptional stamina, in 2007 he became the first Belgian to complete all three Grand Tours in a single season. He then finished seventh in the road race at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
After leaving the professional peloton, Mario Aerts continued his career in cycling by becoming a sports director with the Lotto team, with which he has remained closely associated ever since.
The item on display is the trophy awarded to Mario Aerts for his victory in the general classification of the 2001 Tour of the Province of Lucca. The cup, crafted from gilded metal, has a tall, elegant silhouette. Its central body flares outwards towards the top and is framed by two large, curved handles with decorative ends. The photograph on the left shows Mario Aerts holding this cup himself.
Displayed in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this trophy commemorates Mario Aerts’s victory in the 2001 Tour of the Province of Lucca. Its presence alongside the rider in the photograph reinforces its provenance and its documentary value.
