Belgian legend died on Sunday at the age of 95
Emile Masson, Jr., a winner of both Paris-Roubaix and La Fleche Wallonne, passed away on Sunday at the age of 95.
The rider, who rode professionally between 1935 and 1951 also managed a stage of the Tour de France in his Fleche Wallonne winning year of 1938. He followed that successful season with victory at Paris-Roubaix in 1939, before going into a five year hiatus at the height of career for World War II. While he was not able to reach his pre-War heights in the years that followed, he did manage the impressive feat of back to back Belgian National Championships in 1946 (along with Bordeaux-Paris) and 1947.
Masson, Jr. was born in Hollogne, Belgium on the first of September, 1915. He followed the path previously tread by his father, Emile Masson, Sr. as a professional cyclist.
Masson’s death comes just days after the passing of another Paris-Roubaix winner, Raymond Impanis. Impanis pulled off the elusive double when he triumphed in both the Tour of Flanders and the Hell of the North in 1954.