Apo Lazarides
Encyclopedia
Apo Lazaridès was a Greek
-born French
champion cyclist.
Born Jean-Apôtre Lazaridès in Marles-les-Mines
, Pas-de-Calais of Greek
ancestries (became French in 1929), he cycled in the mountains as a boy. During the German
occupation, Lazaridès used his cycling to transport supplies to the French Resistance
.
Nicknamed "Apo", a short version of his middle name, he competed in races throughout France during the war. In 1946 Lazaridès finished fifth in the "Ronde de France", then won the most important competition of the year, the "La Course du Tour de France", a 1316 km race from Monaco
to Paris
. This was organised by the group who took charge of organisation of the Tour de France.
In the 1947 Tour, Lazaridès finished tenth but captured second overall in the mountain class. In 1948, he finished ninth and went on to take second place in the world championship. He retired in 1955 and moved to Cannes
, where he was president of the Étoile Sportive de Cannes."
Lazaridès died in Cannes in 1998 and was buried there in the Cimetière du Grand Jas.
1946
1947
1948
1949
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
-born French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
champion cyclist.
Born Jean-Apôtre Lazaridès in Marles-les-Mines
Marles-les-Mines
Marles-les-Mines is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:As the name suggests, an ex-coalmining town, which now relies on light industry and farming. It is situated some southwest of Béthune and southwest of Lille, at the junction of the...
, Pas-de-Calais of Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
ancestries (became French in 1929), he cycled in the mountains as a boy. During the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
occupation, Lazaridès used his cycling to transport supplies to the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
.
Nicknamed "Apo", a short version of his middle name, he competed in races throughout France during the war. In 1946 Lazaridès finished fifth in the "Ronde de France", then won the most important competition of the year, the "La Course du Tour de France", a 1316 km race from Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. This was organised by the group who took charge of organisation of the Tour de France.
In the 1947 Tour, Lazaridès finished tenth but captured second overall in the mountain class. In 1948, he finished ninth and went on to take second place in the world championship. He retired in 1955 and moved to Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
, where he was president of the Étoile Sportive de Cannes."
Lazaridès died in Cannes in 1998 and was buried there in the Cimetière du Grand Jas.
Palmarès
1943- Boucles de Sospel
1946
- Marseille-Nice
- La Course du Tour de France
1947
- Tour de France1947 Tour de FranceThe 1947 Tour de France was the 34th Tour de France, taking place from 25 June to 20 July 1947. The total race distance was 21 stages over 4,640 km, ridden at an average speed of 31.412 km/h...
:- 10th place overall classification
1948
- Silver medal World Championships
1949
- PolymultipliéeTrophée des GrimpeursThe Trophée des Grimpeurs, called Polymultipliée until 1970, is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in August in the region of Val-d'Oise, France, between Argenteuil and Sannois. Between 1980 and 2002 it was a criterium...
- Tour de France1949 Tour de FranceThe 1949 Tour de France was the 36th Tour de France, taking place from 30 June to 24 July 1949. It consisted of 21 stages over 4808 km, ridden at an average speed of 32.121 km/h....
:- 9th place overall classification