Jean Jourden, the 1961 World Amateur Road Race Champion, passed away on November 23, 2024, at the age of 82. The French cyclist, born on July 11, 1942, in Saint-Brieuc, was a promising talent who achieved notable success early in his career.
Jourden's most significant victory came in 1961 when he captured the World Amateur Road Race Championship. In the same year, he also won the Route de France, a precursor to the Tour de l'Avenir. However, like many talented young riders, Jourden struggled to replicate this success at the professional level.
It wasn't until 1968 that Jourden began to show glimpses of his former potential as a professional. He won the prestigious Four Days of Dunkirk and the Grand Prix de Plouay, and finished second in the Critérium National behind Raymond Poulidor. Jourden also made his Tour de France debut that year but was forced to abandon the race in the 12th stage. Despite this, he managed a strong ninth-place finish at the World Championships in Imola.
The Frenchman continued to perform well in 1969, winning the Grand Prix de Plouay for the second time, but he was again unable to complete the Tour de France. His best results in the Classics came in 1971 when he finished 12th in both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.
Jourden's career was marked by a combination of early promise and the challenges of transitioning to the professional ranks. While he may not have achieved the sustained success of some of his contemporaries, his victory at the 1961 World Championships and his other notable accomplishments ensure that he will be remembered as one of France's most promising cyclists of his generation.
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