1952 UCI Track World Championships

The 42nd UCI Track World Championships took place from August 26th to 31st, 1952 on the Velodrome in the Prinzenparkstadion in Paris .

The preliminaries of the world championships were attended "downright catastrophic" (although the exact number is not mentioned), but the sprinter finals took place in front of 12,000, and the stayer in front of 35,000 spectators.

The multiple British sprinter world champion, Reg Harris , surprisingly lost his semi-finals and retired after a rebound. He reported a defect, but this was interpreted as a deception. When a journalist spoke to him about it, he threw a mug of tea on his face.

In addition to Paris, Saarbrücken in Germany and last year's host from Belgium, Rocourt , also applied to host these World Championships . Saarbrücken was initially considered the favorite, although there were doubts that the "Schanzenbergbahn" could be completed on schedule. It was not until January 1952 that the Presidium of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) voted for Paris. The Luxembourg Association had the decisive vote, as the road world championships were held there, but the country did not have a cycle track. It was the first time that road and rail world championships were held in different countries.

Athletes from 22 nations competed , including German racing cyclists for the first time after the Second World War , after they were allowed to compete in the Olympic Games in Helsinki that same year.

Results of the professionals

discipline	space	country	athlete
sprint	1	Switzerland	Oscar Plattner
	2	France	Georges Senfftleben
	3	Netherlands	Jan Derksen
Standing race (100 km)	1	Belgium	Adolph Verschueren / Maurice Ville
	2	BR Germany	Walter Lohmann / Georges Grolimund
	3	France	Henri Lemoine / Pasquier
Single pursuit (5000 m)	1	Australia	Sydney Patterson
	2	Italy	Antonio Bevilacqua
	3	Luxembourg	Lucien Gillen

Results of the amateurs

discipline	space	country	athlete
sprint	1	Italy	Enzo Sacchi
	2	Italy	Marino Morettini
	3	United Kingdom	Cyril Peacock
Single pursuit (4000 m)	1	Netherlands	Piet van Heusden
	2	Italy	Mino De Rossi
	3	Italy	Loris Campana

Individual evidence

1. ^ Cycling , September 16, 1952
2. ^ Cycling , January 15, 1952

See also

• 1952 UCI Road World Championships

literature

• Cycling , August / September 1952