1923 Routiers Trophy - Jules Van Hevel

The Sports Palace in Schaarbeek-Brussels, was pretty crowded on 13 October 1923. The programme featured the Routiers Trophy, organised by the newspaper La Nation Belge. Participating in the event were some of the biggest names in cycling at the time, such as subsequent Tour de France winners Nicolas Frantz and Maurice De Waele. Jules Van Hevel was also taking part. The West-Fleming rider won five of the ten 10-km races, thus taking the Routiers Trophy. It was not Jules Van Hevel's only successful performance on the track. As a Tour of Flanders winner and two-time Belgian champion, he delivered an impressive road performance. However, Van Hevel also competed in six-day events at home and abroad, from Brussels to Berlin to New York. He was a member of the Flandriens, the legendary group of track cyclists headed by manager Mac Bolle, also known as Karel Van Wijnendaele.