Honore Barthelemy
Encyclopedia
Honoré Barthélémy was a French
road bicycle racer who took part and finished fifth overall and won four stages in the 1919 Tour de France
. He was born in Paris
, France.
In 1920, says the Yellow Jersey Guide to the Tour de France, he crashed on the stage to Aix-en-Provence
and only slowly got back on his bike, dazed and bloody. He could not bend his back and had to turn his handlebars upside down to be able to continue. As his dizziness lessened, he realised that what he thought was concussion was blindness. A flint had gone into an eye.
Despite that, he finished not only that day but the Tour, coming eighth despite half-blindness, a broken shoulder and a dislocated wrist. He was carried in triumph at the finish. Nor did he stop racing when he was fitted with a glass eye. Dusty roads made it uncomfortable and he often took it out. The socket would then become infected and he would plug it with cotton.
"It makes no difference to my sight but it's more comfortable," he said. The glass eye often fell out and in 1924 he had to get down on his knees on the finish line to see where it had gone. He grumbled that he spent more on replacement eyes than he earned in prizes.
At the 1921 Tour de France
, he finished third overall and won stage 12. He last rode the Tour de France in 1927
, abandoning on stage 9.
He twice won the marathon Bol d'Or
track race in 1925 and 1927.
1920
1921
1924
1925
1927
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...
road bicycle racer who took part and finished fifth overall and won four stages in the 1919 Tour de France
1919 Tour de France
The 1919 Tour de France was the 13th Tour de France, taking place from 29 June to 27 July 1919 over a total distance of . It was the first Tour de France after World War I, and was won by Firmin Lambot...
. He was born in 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...
, France.
In 1920, says the Yellow Jersey Guide to the Tour de France, he crashed on the stage to Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
and only slowly got back on his bike, dazed and bloody. He could not bend his back and had to turn his handlebars upside down to be able to continue. As his dizziness lessened, he realised that what he thought was concussion was blindness. A flint had gone into an eye.
Despite that, he finished not only that day but the Tour, coming eighth despite half-blindness, a broken shoulder and a dislocated wrist. He was carried in triumph at the finish. Nor did he stop racing when he was fitted with a glass eye. Dusty roads made it uncomfortable and he often took it out. The socket would then become infected and he would plug it with cotton.
"It makes no difference to my sight but it's more comfortable," he said. The glass eye often fell out and in 1924 he had to get down on his knees on the finish line to see where it had gone. He grumbled that he spent more on replacement eyes than he earned in prizes.
At the 1921 Tour de France
1921 Tour de France
The 1921 Tour de France was the 15th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 24, 1921. The total distance was 5484 km and the average speed of the riders was 24.720 km/h. The race was won by Belgian Leon Scieur. The Belgians dominated the entire race, partly due to the absence of the...
, he finished third overall and won stage 12. He last rode the Tour de France in 1927
1927 Tour de France
The 1927 Tour de France was the 21st Tour de France, taking place June 19 to July 17, 1927. It consisted of 24 stages over 5340 km, ridden at an average speed of 27.224 km/h....
, abandoning on stage 9.
He twice won the marathon Bol d'Or
Bol d'Or cycle race
The Bol d'Or was a bicycle track race that ran in France between 1894 and 1950. It was a paced, 24 hour endurance event. It has been won by several notable cyclists including Constant Huret , the Australian Hubert Opperman and three time hour record breaker Oscar Egg...
track race in 1925 and 1927.
Major achievements
1919- 3rd, Paris–Roubaix
- 5th, Overall, Tour de France1919 Tour de FranceThe 1919 Tour de France was the 13th Tour de France, taking place from 29 June to 27 July 1919 over a total distance of . It was the first Tour de France after World War I, and was won by Firmin Lambot...
- 1st, Stage 6
- 1st, Stage 9
- 1st, Stage 10
- 1st, Stage 11
1920
- 2nd, Paris–Tours
- 8th, Overall, Tour de France1920 Tour de FranceThe 1920 Tour de France was the 14th Tour de France, taking place from June 27 to July 27, 1920. It consisted of 15 stages over , ridden at an average speed of . It was won by Belgian Philippe Thys, making him the first cyclist to win the Tour de France three times...
1921
- 1st Paris-St Etienne
- 1st, Stage 2
- 3rd, Overall, Tour de France1921 Tour de FranceThe 1921 Tour de France was the 15th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 24, 1921. The total distance was 5484 km and the average speed of the riders was 24.720 km/h. The race was won by Belgian Leon Scieur. The Belgians dominated the entire race, partly due to the absence of the...
- 1st, Stage 12
1924
- 2 stage wins Tour du Sud-Est
1925
- 1st Bol d'OrBol d'Or cycle raceThe Bol d'Or was a bicycle track race that ran in France between 1894 and 1950. It was a paced, 24 hour endurance event. It has been won by several notable cyclists including Constant Huret , the Australian Hubert Opperman and three time hour record breaker Oscar Egg...
1927
- 1st Bol d'OrBol d'Or cycle raceThe Bol d'Or was a bicycle track race that ran in France between 1894 and 1950. It was a paced, 24 hour endurance event. It has been won by several notable cyclists including Constant Huret , the Australian Hubert Opperman and three time hour record breaker Oscar Egg...