Age is only a number for French cyclist Robert Marchand.
On Wednesday afternoon, in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Quentin en Yvelines, the 105-year-old set a new World Record for the distance cycled in an hour by some aged 105 or over. Marchand completed the hour in 22.547km (14 miles) to set the new record.
In 2012, Mr. Marchand set the record for those aged over 100. In an hour he cycled 26.927km.
Despite breaking the record, Mr Marchand claimed he was disappointed, not to go quicker. He claimed he missed the banner claiming there was a minute to go in the record attempt, and he could have gone quicker.
The centenarian cycles every day to keep his muscles active, but only began cycling seriously in his sixties. His records since turning 100 are not the first time, Marchand has impressed on two wheels. As an 81-year-old he cycled from Moscow to Paris.
Such is his standing in French cycling, a small mountain-pass was renamed the Col Robert Marchand, in 2012.
Marchand's record is shorter than the one-hour record of Bradley Wiggins' 54.526km, but it will remain one of the more impressive ones, in cycling's record book.
Could Mr. Marchand's record be the good-news story cycling needs to start 2017?
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