Mathieu Cordang

Mathieu Cordang (6 December 1869 – 24 March 1942 ) was a Dutch professional cyclist. His specialties were track racing and endurance racing.

Biography Cordang started racing in 1893, after he left a boat in Vlissingen where a cycling race was being held. He borrowed a bicycle, won the race, and decided to take up cycle-racing. Cordang won the amateur 100 km motor-paced world championship in 1895 in Köln.

Cordang was a professional from 1896 to 1900. In 1897 he finished second in Paris–Roubaix after falling in the velodrome in Roubaix. The winner, Maurice Garin, did not wait for him and won by 30meters. who had extra help in the form of a car. In the same year, Cordang broke five world records on the track of The Crystal Palace in London.

During the Bol d'Or in 1900, Cordang set a 24-hour record of 999.651 km. After that, he won the 3 km race in the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. This included professionals, so it is not considered official by the International Olympic Committee.

Cordang ended his career after this. According to his grandson, he stopped because he was cheated too often. Cordang became the owner of a garage company.

1894 Amsterdam-Arnhem-Amsterdam Maastricht-Nijmegen-Maastricht Rotterdam-Utrecht-Rotterdam World record 1000 km 1895 Amsterdam-Arnhem-Amsterdam Leiden-Utrecht-Leiden Maastricht-Roermond against train World champion pace racing 1896 5th place Bordeaux-Paris 1897 24 hours of Crystal Palace (991,651 km) 2nd Bordeaux-Paris 2nd Paris–Roubaix 3rd 1000 km Défi Routier 1898 100 km GP Roubaix 100 km GP Amsterdam 200 km GP Berlijn 1899 100 km GP Den Haag World record 24 hours (1000,110 km) 1900 Olympic Games: Bol d'Or (unofficial event) 3 km (unofficial event)