Elsy Jacobs

Elsy Jacobs ( born March 4, 1933, Luxembourg - Pfaffenthal, † 28 February 1998 in Loudéac ) was a Luxembourg cyclist and 1958 first cycling world champion of women.

Life

As the youngest of seven siblings Elsy Jacobs grew up in Garnich. In contact with the cycling she came by her brothers, who already participated as youth cycle races. Jacobs started using them to train, but was unable to start in Luxembourg, since at that time women were not allowed to participate in bike races. So they raced in Belgium and France, where their license was recognized. Only in 1955 changed the Luxembourg cycling federation 's statutes to accommodate Elsy Jacobs and also enabling their participation in races in Luxembourg.

On August 30, 1958 Elsy Jacobs won in Reims at the first road Cycling World Championships of women, the favored Soviet riders. A few months later, on November 9, Elsy Jacobs drove in Milan at the Vigorelli velodrome, a new hour record. The record of 41 km, 347 m and 27 could only be broken in 1972 by the Italian Maria Cressari in Mexico.

In 1974 there were disputes between Jacobs and the national association, who had not they registered for the World Cup. Since the association appealed to financial problems, Elsy Jacobs offered to pay their participation from their own pockets. And nothing came of it, she left Luxembourg, acquired French citizenship and moved to Paris. Later she went to Loudéac in Brittany, where she coached a youth team until 1996 and died on 28 February 1998.

Miscellaneous

Since 2001, the Randonnee Elsy Jacobs is in Garnich annually held on May 1.

On the 40th anniversary of the World Cup the ship Linger sculptor Yvette Gastauer- Claire created a commemorative coin in honor Elsy Jacobs.

On the 50th anniversary of their World Champion title and the hour world record was held on April 26, 2008 in the Grand Prix Elsy Jacobs Garnich.