Thanks to a donation from the family of Jean-Noël Pierre, a former signaller, the Maison du Cyclisme team is able to present this unique item that once belonged to Jean Brankart. An important figure in Belgian cycling in the 1950s, his victory in the Tour of Belgium as an independent rider in 1953 marked his ascent into professional cycling.
This is the bike Jean Brankart rode to second place in the 1955 Tour de France! Made by “Elvé Mercier”, Brankart’s bike on display is made of steel and fitted with Simplex-Campagnolo and Huret equipment. This machine offered professional cyclists a good balance between durability and performance.
A quick reminder:
Jean Brankart was a Belgian road and track cyclist who was born on 12 July 1930 in Momalle (Remicourt) and died on 23 July 2020 in Liège. He was a professional cyclist from 1953 to 1960, winning a total of 27 races during his career. He is best known for his performances in stage races, particularly the Tour de France. Three top 10 finishes in six participations! He also had a reputation for time-trialling and mountain biking, making him a formidable competitor in the major races.
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Ninth in his first Tour de France in 1954, he came second in the 1955 Tour behind Frenchman Louison Bobet and ahead of Luxembourger Charly Gaul. He won two stages of the Grande Boucle. Jean won the 18th stage “Saint-Gaudens – Pau”, 206 km long, ahead of Bobet. He managed to break away from the peloton and maintain his lead despite the challenges imposed by the mountainous terrain. His performance on this stage was a demonstration of both his talent and his determination. Then, 3 days later, he won the 21st stage of the time trial between Châtellerault and Tours.
That same year, Jean Brankart finished third in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and seventh in the Flèche Wallonne. 1955 was a key year for Jean Brankart, in which he demonstrated his versatility and ability to excel in different types of terrain and events.
In 1958, he finished second in the Giro d’Italia and won the Grand Prix de la Montagne. The Momallois rider finished tenth in the Tour again in 1959!
Jean Brankart also distinguished himself on the track, winning three Belgian pursuit titles and a bronze medal in the pursuit at the track World Championships in Amsterdam in 1959.
In 1960, Jean Brankart was forced to end his career due to serious heart problems.
Don’t hesitate to come and discover this legendary bike, as well as Jean’s gloves from Guy Crasset’s collection (asbl La Maison de la Mémoire du Cyclisme).
La Maison du Cyclisme Liège-Bastogne-Liège : when history meets current events!
