Paul Péan

Paul Henri Péan
Paul Péan in 1920
NationalityFrench
Born10 September 1888
Nesle-la-Reposte, Marne[1]
Died14 September 1936(1936-09-14) (aged 48)

Paul Henri Péan (10 September 1888 - 14 September 1936) was a French Motorcycle racer, active between the years 1909 and 1932 [2] becoming one of the most successful motorcycle racers in the years immediately following the First World War,[3] racing for Peugeot primarily in the 500cc category.

Biography

His first racing experience came at 15 years old as a riding mechanic for Giosue Giuppone,[3][4] following Giuppone's death he started racing by himself and achieved his first success in 1912.[5]

His racing career was interrupted by the First World War during which he distinguished himself as a pilot and received the Croix de guerre and the medaille militaire and was proposed for the Legion d'honneur.[6]

He resumed his racing career following the war with a number of victories, including at l'Eure, Circuit de Champagne, Grand Prix de Montlhery, Spanish Grand Prix and Monza.[4] He also held a number of motorcycle speed recorods.[7][8][9]

After retiring from racing he became president of the Motocycle-Club de France and while attending an event organised by the club at Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry while trying a motorcycle he crashed at a speed of more than 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour) after colliding with another rider,[10] he died during the night from the multiple injuries he suffered in the crash.[7]

Major Victories

1923 Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix (500cc) [11]

References

  1. ^ "PEAN, Paul Henri". Memoire des hommes (in French). May 17, 1918. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  2. ^ "Paul Pean n'est plus". L'Ami du peuple (in French). September 16, 1936. p. 5.
  3. ^ a b "L'ANCIEN COUREUR PAUL PEAN s'est tue a Montlhery". Le Figaro (in French). September 15, 1936. p. 8.
  4. ^ a b "PAUL PEAN EST MORT". Le Petit Marseillais (in French). September 16, 1936. p. 9.
  5. ^ "Un champion motocycliste se tue a l'entrainement". Le Petit Courrier (in French). September 15, 1936. p. 2.
  6. ^ "La mort accidentelle du champion motocycliste Paul PEAN de Courbevoie". Journal de Saint-Denis (in French). September 19, 1936. p. 1.
  7. ^ a b "Paul Pean champion de la premiere heure se tue a motocyclette". Excelsior (in French). September 16, 1936. p. 5.
  8. ^ "Paul Pean ca fait une chute mortelle". Le Temps (in French). September 16, 1936. p. 4.
  9. ^ D'Orleans, Paul (25 April 2017). "The Lost Peugeot Racers". The Vintagent. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  10. ^ "Le motocycliste Paul Pean s'est tue a Montlhery". Le Jour (in French). September 15, 1936. p. 8.
  11. ^ "Le Grand-Prix de Suisse". Journal de Geneve (in French). June 11, 1923. p. 5.
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