Mathieu Cordang

Joannes Matheus " Mathieu " Cordang (December 6, 1869 in Blerick, † March 24, 1942 in Swalmen ) was a Dutch cyclist.

Mathieu Cordang belonged together with Jaap Eden to the Dutch cycling pioneers. He came from a poor family and he is said to have had 14 siblings. So he went early to sea. In 1893 he attended a race in Vlissingen at a port stay. Without further ado, he borrowed a wheel, participated in, won and settled for the profession of the racer. In addition, he opened a bicycle shop. His first great victory he celebrated a year later at the domestic classic Amsterdam - Arnhem- Amsterdam.

Cordang was a specialist pacemaker race and long distances. In 1895 he was World Champion stayer in the amateurs in Cologne. In 1897, he finished each ranked second in the race Paris -Roubaix ( behind the eventual winner of the first Tour de France, Maurice Garin ) and Bordeaux - Paris behind Gaston Rivière. In 1900 he won the Bol d' Or of the Monedieres Chaumeil before Garin and the German Thaddeus Robl. This victory took Cordang, a chain smoker with a taste for cigars, alcohol and food, to withdraw to the occasion.

At the Olympic Games in Paris in 1900 Cordang won a gold medal in the 24 -hour race behind ( non-motorized, multi -seater ) pacemaker machines. This competition was not officially recognized.

Cordang was also known for spectacular actions: he drove a race against a railroad, which he won, though the web sailed a shorter two kilometers of track. On September 18, 1897, he presented at London's Crystal Palace on a new 24 -hour world record 991.651 km, which he later broke even. That's why he was also called Recordang.

A few months after his resignation went Cordangs house in Blerick with its entire trophy collection in flames. He then moved to Swalmen, the hometown of his wife, where he first opened a bicycle shop and later an auto repair shop. He also took part in car racing. He was the father of eight children, whom he forbade to be cyclists. 1942 seized the Germans all cars and engines Cordangs, and he had to close his business. A little later, Mathieu Cordang died of pneumonia.

In Almere the Cordangpad was named after him.