Robert Chapatte was a French cyclist and sports journalist, voice of the Tour de France on television and radio and the inventor of Chapatte's Law.
13 Facts About Robert Chapatte
1.
2.
Robert Chapatte was a professional for 11 seasons, from 1944 to 1954.
3.
Robert Chapatte rode the Tour de France from 1948 to 1952, finishing 16th in 1949.
4.
Robert Chapatte won the Circuit des Pyrenees in 1949 and the Grand Prix d'Esperaza in 1952.
5.
Robert Chapatte stayed there until 1959 and then moved to television.
6.
Robert Chapatte wrote from the end of his racing career for the sports magazine Miroir Sprint, particularly for its Tour de France issue.
7.
Robert Chapatte created the sports analysis programme, Stade 2, which is still broadcast on Antenne 2's successor, France 2.
8.
Robert Chapatte presented the programme from 1975 to 1985, then became consultant commentator on the Tour de France with a man who eventually followed him as head of sport, Patrick Chene.
9.
Robert Chapatte's Law was a calculation drawn from his experience as a rider and commentator.
10.
Robert Chapatte insisted too that a lone rider with a minute's lead had more chance than a group with a larger lead.
11.
Robert Chapatte's minute is more likely now to be 90 seconds.
12.
Robert Chapatte covered his last Tour de France in July 1994, abandoning the race in the Pyrenees when he fell ill.
13.
Robert Chapatte is buried in the cimetiere ancien at Neuilly-sur-Seine.