1957 UCI Track World Championships
The 47th UCI Track World Championships took place from August 10th to 15th, 1957 on the Velodrome de Rocourt cycling track near Liège .
For the world championships, the cycling track was equipped with four high headlight masts. This turned out to be necessary because the rain and numerous mishaps in the process and in the races dragged on the competitions in cold, wet weather until late at night. Attendance at the races was moderate, as the Belgian public was more interested in the parallel UCI Road World Championships ; on the final day, however, around 18,000 spectators came.
The commissioners often proved to be overwhelmed, so that the British sprint world champion from 1954, Cyril Peacock , voluntarily withdrew after a controversial race. The decision in the single pursuit was also controversial: First Franco Gandini was declared world champion and was already on the lap of honor; only after massive protests by the public and observers was this decision revised.
At the world championship for professional sprinters, two "veteran" Dutch drivers, Jan Derksen and Arie van Vliet , managed a surprise because Reg Harris and Antonio Maspes had been favored beforehand . Derksen was 38 years old at the time of his victory, van Vliet 41 years old; van Vliet then ended his cycling career. The 1951 Tour de France winner, Hugo Koblet , competed in the standers, but he had to give up in the run-up due to seat problems.
Results of the professionals
discipline | space | country | athlete |
---|---|---|---|
sprint | 1 | Netherlands | Jan Derksen |
2 | Netherlands | Arie van Vliet | |
3 | France | Roger Gaignard | |
Single pursuit (5000 m) | 1 | France | Roger Rivière |
2 | France | Albert Bouvet | |
3 | Italy | Guido Messina | |
Standing race (100 km) | 1 | Belgium | Paul Depaepe / Emile Vandenbosch |
2 | Switzerland | Walter Bucher / Arthur Pasquier | |
3 | Australia | Graeme French / Georges Grolimund |
Results of the amateurs
discipline | space | country | athlete |
---|---|---|---|
sprint | 1 | France | Michel Rousseau |
2 | Italy | Guglielmo Pesenti | |
3 | Italy | Valentino Gasparella | |
Single pursuit (4000 m) | 1 | Italy | Carlo Simonigh |
2 | Italy | Franco Gandini | |
3 | Netherlands | From Geldermans |
literature
- Cycling , August / September 1957