Marshall “Major” Taylor was the fastest bicyclist in the world.
Thousands of fans packed indoor sports arenas called velodromes to watch his high-speed races.
Taylor won thousands of dollars as a bicycle racer and became the most famous African-American in the United States.
He broke the international color barrier a full decade before boxer Jack Johnson.
Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor was born November 26, 1878.
#blackhistorymonth
The French race has it's traditional course. A hilly day on the bike with an open finale. 166 kilometers of racing and 2700 meters of climbing, the peloton will face rolling climbs throughout the entire day. The race will be decided late on with a climb of 4.1 kilometers at 7.6%, and then 2.2 kilometers at 6%. The Col de la Gineste is then a false flat rise into the final kilometers, before the peloton descends back into Marseille for a possible sprint or solo finish.
- Rúben Silva
