Léon Houa
Encyclopedia
Léon Houa was a Belgian
road bicycle racer famous for winning the first three editions of Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1892–1894. The race has come to be known as La Doyenne ("the oldest woman"), and is one of the five 'Monuments
' of the European professional road cycling calendar, and the oldest.
The first two editions of Liège–Bastogne–Liège were amateur races. On 29 May 1892, he bested 32 amateur riders over 250 km to finish the race in 10 hours, 48 minutes and 36 seconds and become the first Liège–Bastogne–Liège champion. On 28 May 1893, he finished in 10 hours, 40 minutes and ahead of 25 other riders. Also in 1893, Houa won the amateur version of the Belgium National Road Race Championship.
Houa went onto to win the first professional version of the race held in 1894 in 8 hours, 52 minutes and 5 seconds over a distance of 223 km. Also in 1894, Houa captured the elite men's version of the Belgium National Road Race Championship.
1893 – Amateur
1894 – Professional
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
road bicycle racer famous for winning the first three editions of Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1892–1894. The race has come to be known as La Doyenne ("the oldest woman"), and is one of the five 'Monuments
Classic cycle races
The classic cycle races are one-day professional cycling road races in the international calendar. Most of the events, all run in western Europe, have been fixtures on the professional calendar for decades and the oldest ones date back to the 19th Century. They are normally held at roughly the same...
' of the European professional road cycling calendar, and the oldest.
The first two editions of Liège–Bastogne–Liège were amateur races. On 29 May 1892, he bested 32 amateur riders over 250 km to finish the race in 10 hours, 48 minutes and 36 seconds and become the first Liège–Bastogne–Liège champion. On 28 May 1893, he finished in 10 hours, 40 minutes and ahead of 25 other riders. Also in 1893, Houa won the amateur version of the Belgium National Road Race Championship.
Houa went onto to win the first professional version of the race held in 1894 in 8 hours, 52 minutes and 5 seconds over a distance of 223 km. Also in 1894, Houa captured the elite men's version of the Belgium National Road Race Championship.
Major achievements
1892 – Amateur- Liège–Bastogne–Liège
1893 – Amateur
- Liège–Bastogne–Liège
- National (Amateur) Road Race Cycling Champion
1894 – Professional
- Liège–Bastogne–Liège
-
Belgian National Road Race ChampionshipsBelgian National Road Race ChampionshipsThe Belgian National Road Race Championship is a cycling race where the Belgian cyclists decide who will become the champion for the year to come...