View source for Paris-Brussels

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{| border=1 align="right" cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 width=250  style="margin-left:3em; margin-bottom: 2em;"
|-
!colspan=2 style="color: white; background: darkred;"|'''Paris-Brussels'''
|-
|Region || [[France]] - [[Belgium]]
|-
|Date || September
|-
|Type || One-day race
|-
|First Edition: || 1896
|-
|Editions || 85
|-
|First Winner || [[André Henry]] -- BEL
|-
|Most Recent: || [[Robbie McEwen]] -- AUS
|-
|Most Wins: || [[Octave Lapize]] -- FRA and<br>[[Félix Sellier]] -- BEL,<br>3 times
|}


'''Paris-Brussels''' is a [[classic cycle races|semi classic]] [[Europe]]an [[Road bicycle racing|bicycle race]]. It is one of the oldest races on the international calendar.

==History==
Paris-Brussels was first run in 1893 as an [[amateur]] event over two days. The race was a Spring Classic towards the end of April, between [[Paris-Roubaix]] and [[Gent-Wevelgem]]. The event lost its prestige in 1966 when [[Netherlands|Dutch]] promoted the [[Amstel Gold Race]]. The race was also affected by traffic problems and was not run between 1967 and 1972. 

When the race returned in 1973 it was midweek towards the end of September, just before Paris-Tours. The 1973 race was won by [[Eddy Merckx]]. The most individual wins stood for a long time at three, by [[Octave Lapize]] ([[France]]) and [[Felix Sellier]] ([[Belgium]]). Lapize won in 1911, 1912 and 1913 and Sellier in 1922, 1923 and 1924. Lapize was disqualified after winning the 1910 race for not observing a neutralised section. In 2007, [[Robbie McEwen]] broke the record by winning his fourth race, and bettered this again with a fifth win in 2008.

==English-speaking riders==
Paris-Brussels has only seen moderate success for [[United Kingdom|British]] riders, [[Sean Yates]] finished third in 1994 in a break with [[Rolf Sørensen]] and [[Franco Ballerini]]. There was animosity between Yates and Sørensen after shirt-pulling in the 1994 [[Tour de France]]. Sørensen broke away to win. 

[[Tom Simpson]] finished second in 1963. He went away well before the border into Belgium. A small group went with him and established a 13-minute lead. The group contained [[Jean Stablinski]] and Simpson lost to him when his gears slipped and Stablinski got away for the win.

[[Robbie McEwen]] won in 2002 after the peloton caught [[Erik Dekker]] with 500m remaining. Another [[Australia]]n  [[Phil Anderson]] finished third in 1992. [[Ireland|Irishman]] [[Seamus Elliott]] was unfortunate in 1958; with three miles to go he had a lead of a minute when he smashed his frame. He took a spectator's bike but finished down the rankings.

[[Image:Paris-Brussels Map.JPG|thumb|right|Map showing the route of the 2004 edition of Paris-Brussels.]]

==Race length==
Before 1926, the race was always over 400km, but this has reduced over the years with 2004 being 225km, although as recently as 1987 the distance was 309km when [[Wim Arras]] triumphed. The quickest race was 1975 when a tailwind helped [[Freddy Maertens]] finish in 46.11kmh. 

==Route==
The race starts at [[Soissons]], in [[Picardie]], 85km north-east of [[Paris]], although prior to 1996 the race started in [[Noyon]] and during the 1980s in Senlis. The race is level but towards the end there are cobbled climbs such as the [[Alsemberg]], [[Mont Saint Roch]] and the [[Keperenberg]]. The race ended for many years in the [[Anderlecht]] district of [[Brussels]] outside the Constant Vanden Stock football stadium in the Place de Linde. However, 2005 concluded at the [[Atomium]] north of the centre of Brussels. 1996 saw another change when it was moved from midweek date to a Saturday. 

The quality of field has suffered since the [[Vuelta a España]] moved to September in 1995, many sprinter-roadmen preferring the Spanish Tour.

==Results==
{{Cycling pw start}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1893|name=[[André Henry]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw no race|year=1894&ndash;<br />1905}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1906|name=[[Albert Dupont]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1907|name=[[Gustave Garrigou]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1908|name=[[Lucien Petit-Breton]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1909|name=[[François Faber]]|nat=LUX|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1910|name=[[Maurice Brocco]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1911|name=[[Octave Lapize]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1912|name=[[Octave Lapize]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1913|name=[[Octave Lapize]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1914|name=[[Louis Mottiat]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw no race|year=1915&ndash;<br />1918}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1919|name=[[Alexis Michiels]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1920|name=[[Henri Pélissier]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1921|name=[[Robert Reboul]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1922|name=[[Félix Sellier]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1923|name=[[Félix Sellier]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1924|name=[[Félix Sellier]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1925|name=[[Gerard Debaets]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1926|name=[[Denis Verschueren]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1927|name=[[Nicholas Frantz]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1928|name=[[Georges Ronsse]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1929|name=[[Pé Verhaegen]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1930|name=[[Ernest Mottard]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1931|name=[[Jean Aerts]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1932|name=[[Julian Vervaecke]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1933|name=[[Albert Barthelèmy]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1934|name=[[Frans Bonduel]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1935|name=[[Edgard De Caluwé]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1936|name=[[Eloi Meulenberg]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1937|name=[[Albert Beckaert]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1938|name=[[Marcel Kint]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1939|name=[[Frans Bonduel]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw no race|year=1940&ndash;<br />1945}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1946|name=[[Briek Schotte]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1947|name=[[Ernest Sterckx]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1948|name=[[Ludo Poels]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1949|name=[[Maurice Diot]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1950|name=[[Rik Van Steenbergen]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1951|name=[[Jean Geugen]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1952|name=[[Briek Schotte]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1953|name=[[Loretto Petrucci]]|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1954|name=[[Marcel Hendrickx]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1955|name=[[Marcel Hendrickx]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1956|name=[[Rik Van Looy]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw mid}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1957|name=[[Léon Van Daele]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1958|name=[[Rik Van Looy]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1959|name=[[Frans Schouben]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1960|name=[[Pierre Everaet]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1961|name=[[Pino Cerami]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1962|name=[[Jos Wouters]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1963|name=[[Jean Stablinski]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1964|name=[[Georges Van Coningsloo]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1965|name=[[Edward Sels]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1966|name=[[Felice Gimondi]]|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw no race|year=1967&ndash;<br />1972}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1973|name=[[Eddy Merckx]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1974|name=[[Marc Demeyer]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1975|name=[[Freddy Maertens]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1976|name=[[Felice Gimondi]]|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1977|name=[[Ludo Peeters]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1978|name=[[Jan Raas]]|nat=NED|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1979|name=[[Ludo Peeters]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1980|name=[[Pierino Gavazzi]]|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1981|name=[[Roger De Vlaeminck]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1982|name=[[Jacques Hanegraaf]]|nat=NED|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1983|name=[[Tommy Prim]]|nat=SWE|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1984|name=[[Eric Vanderaerden]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1985|name=[[Adri van der Poel]]|nat=NED|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1986|name=[[Guido Bontempi]]|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1987|name=[[Wim Arras]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1988|name=[[Rolf Gölz]]|nat=GER|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1989|name=[[Jelle Nijdam]]|nat=NED|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1990|name=[[Franco Ballerini]]|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1991|name=[[Brian Holm]]|nat=DNK|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1992|name=[[Rolf Sørensen]]|nat=DNK|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1993|name=[[François Moreau]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1994|name=[[Rolf Sørensen]]|nat=DNK|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1995|name=[[Frank Vandenbroucke (cyclist)|Frank Vandenbroucke]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1996|name=[[Andrea Tafi (cyclist)|Andrea Tafi]]|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1997|name=[[Alessandro Bertolini]]|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1998|name=[[Stefano Zanini]]|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=1999|name=[[Romāns Vainšteins]]|nat=LVA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=2000|name=[[Max van Heeswijk]]|nat=NED|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=2001|name=[[Emmanuel Magnien]]|nat=FRA|natvar=|team=|teamnat=|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=2002|name=[[Robbie McEwen]]|nat=AUS|natvar=|team=[[Lotto-Adecco]]|teamnat=BEL|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=2003|name=[[Kim Kirchen]]|nat=LUX|natvar=|team=[[Fassa Bortolo]]|teamnat=ITA|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=2004|name=[[Nick Nuyens]]|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=[[Quick Step-Davitamon]]|teamnat=BEL|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=2005|name=[[Robbie McEwen]]|nat=AUS|natvar=|team=[[Davitamon-Lotto]]|teamnat=BEL|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=2006|name=[[Robbie McEwen]]|nat=AUS|natvar=|team=[[Davitamon-Lotto]]|teamnat=BEL|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=2007|name=[[Robbie McEwen]]|nat=AUS|natvar=|team=[[Predictor-Lotto]]|teamnat=BEL|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw rider|year=2008|name=[[Robbie McEwen]]|nat=AUS|natvar=|team=[[Silence-Lotto]]|teamnat=BEL|teamnatvar=}}
{{Cycling pw end}}



[[Category:Classic cycle races|Paris-Brussels]]