Henry Lepage

Flashy Montreal 6-day Racer (1906-1959)

Biography

Henri Lepage was a Parisian born 6-day racer that made Montreal his home. He started his cycling career as a road cyclist entering local races in the Montreal area. In October 1929, at 23 years old, Henri made his six-day debut at the first Montreal 6-day race partnering with the Belgian rider Rene Boogmans.

Henri was a very showy racer who was a crowd favorite because of his good looks and flashy riding. The media nicknamed him the "Black-haired Adonis" and the "Beau Brummel" of cycling. He was also very adept as a sprinter and had excellent bike handing skills.

Throughout his 6-day career, Lepage participated in 64 six-day races winning ten events between 1929-1938. He finished 54 events, abandoning only 10 times. Henri LePage is ranked 64th on the All-Time Historical 6-day Racer List (Jacq van Reijendam - Breda - NL, April 2005) with 10 first place wins,10 second place finishes, 8 thirds and 8 fourth placings.

Lepage regularly partnered with some of the Canadian 6-day superstars, such as Jules Audy, 13 times and William "Torchy" Peden 10 times. There seemed to have been a special magic when Torchy Peden and LePage got together as a combination. In total they won 5 six-day races. Lepage was also partnered 7 times with the famous French 6-day star Alfred "Red Devil" Letourneur. They were victorious at the 1933 Montreal (B) six-day race.

In his hometown of Montreal Lepage raced in 15 six-day races. He was idolized as a hero in Montreal. In total Henri raced in 25 Canadian 6-day races: in Montreal (15), Toronto (9), and Vancouver (1). Lepage raced 37 times in the USA in 13 different cities. He raced in Chicago 3 times and twice at the centre of six-day racing Madison Square Garden in New York City. Both Chicago and New York were the two venues that paid the racers the highest fees in the world. Every six-day racer desired to appear at Madison Square Garden. It was not uncommon for celebrities and politicians to offer $200 as a premium for a sprint race.
Photo translation: Former Quillcot Lepage rider, now 23, was one of the top amateur cyclists. He is the first French Canadian to take part in a six day race and he was the hero of last year's event at the Forum. An accident to his companion prevented him from winning. He will still be one of the contenders this season and hopes to be luckier.
Cliche Famous Studio, Ste-Catherine Street East.

Henri won the Canadian Track Championship in 1930 and 1931. He was inducted into the Federation Quebecoise des Sport Cyclistes (FQSC) "Temple de la Renommee" in 1986. Henri Lepage died in 1959 at the age of 53.

Henri Lepage is ranked third on the Canadian Six-Day Racer List.

Arnold Devlin
Eugene Vandal

Palmares

Henri Lepage participated in 25 6-day races in Canada, 37 in the USA and 2 in England

1929-30
1. Montreal: October 28-November 3, 1929 with Rene Boogmans (Bel), 7^th place
2. Montreal: October 26-November 1, 1930 with Bobby Walthour Jr.(Usa), 6^th place
1931
3. Montreal: April 12-18, 1931 with William 'Torchy' Peden(Can), 1^st place
4. Vancouver: July 13-18, 1931 with Reginald Fielding(Can), 2^nd place
5. Portland: August 7-13, 1931 with Horace Horder (Aus), abandoned
6. Montreal: October 12-17, 1931 with William 'Torchy' Peden(Can), 1^st place
7. Minneapolis: November 19-26, 1931 with Pierre Gachon (Can), 3^rd place
1932
8. Milwaukee: January 6-12, 1932 with Laurent Gadou (Can), 6^th place
9. Montreal: April 17-23, 1932 with Alfred 'Diable Rouge' Letourneur (Fra), 2^nd place
10. Toronto: May 2-7,1932 with Alfred 'Diable Rouge' Letourneur (Fra), 2nd
11. Atlantic City: July 1932 with Willy Grimm (Usa), 5^th place
12. Montreal: October 17-23, 1932 with Jules Audy (Can), abandoned
13. Toronto: October 1932 with Bernard Stuebecke, 2^nd place
14. Philadelphia: November 11-17, 1932, with Louis Cohen (Usa) abandoned
1933
15. Cleveland: January 20-26, 1933, with Felix Lafenetre (Fra) 7^th place
16. Saint Louis: February 8-14, 1933 with William 'Torchy' Peden (Can), 1^st place
17. New York: February 27-March 5, 1933 with Louis Cohen (Usa), abandoned
18. Chicago: March 11-17, 1933 with Prudent Delille (Bel), 3^rd place
19. Montreal: April 16-22,1933 with Jules Audy (Can), 6^th place
20. Toronto: April 26-May1, 1933 with Piet van Kempen, 9^th place
21. Montreal: October 8-14, 1933 with Alfred 'Diable Rouge' Letourneur (Fra) 3^rd place
22. Toronto: October 23-29, 1933 with Alfred 'Diable Rouge' Letourneur (Fra) 1^st place
23. Minneapolis: November 6-12, 1933 with William 'Torchy' Peden (Can) 1^st place
24. Cleveland: December 6-12, 1933 with William 'Torchy' Peden (Can) 4^th place
1934
25. Pittsburgh: March 1934 with Zenon St. Laurent (Can), 4^th place
26. Cleveland: April 6-12, 1934 with Alfred 'Diable Rouge' Letourneur (Fra) 2^nd place
27. Montréal: April 15-21, 1934 with Alfred 'Diable Rouge' Letourneur (Fra) 2^nd place
28. Toronto: May 6-11, 1934 with Alfred 'Diable Rouge' Letourneur (Fra) abandoned
29. London: May 13-21, 1934 with Jules Audy (Can) 8^th place
30. Pittsburgh: September 23-30, 1934 with Jimmy Walthour (Usa) 1^st place
31. Montreal: October 15-21, 1934 with Jimmy Walthour (Usa) 2^nd place
32. Toronto: October 29-November 3, 1934 with Jules Audy (Can) and Buehler (Triple) 7^th place
33. Cleveland: November 8-14, 1934 with Jules Audy (Can) and William 'Torchy' Peden (Can) (Triple) 4^th place
34. Milwaukee: November 18-24, 1934 with Jules Audy (Can) and William 'Torchy' Peden (Can) (Triple) 1^st place
35. Minneapolis: December 2-8, 1934 with Jules Audy (Can) and William 'Torchy' Peden (Can) (Triple) 2^nd place
1935
36. Kansas City: January 8-14, 1935 with Buehler 4^th place
37. Pittsburgh: April 7-14, 1935 with Jules Audy (Can) 4^th place
38. Montréal: April 30-May 5, 1935 with Al Crossley (Usa) 3^rd place
39. Toronto: May 7-13, 1935 with Jimmy Walthour (Usa) 6^th place
40. Toronto: September 22-28, 1935 with Reginald Fielding (Can) 6^th place
41. Montréal: October 14-20, 1935 with Jimmy Walthour (Usa) 2^nd place
42. Pittsburgh: October 28-November 3, 1935 with William 'Torchy' Peden (Can) 3^rd place
1936
43. Milwaukee: January 16-22, 1936 with Frank Bartell (Usa) 4^th place
44. Minneapolis: February 20-26, 1936 with Reginald Fielding (Can) 1^st place
45. Montréal: April 13-19, 1936 with Jules Audy (Can) 2^nd place
46. Toronto: April 27-May 3, 1936 with Reginald Fielding (Can) 5^th place
47. London: September 20-26, 1936 with Douglas Peden (Can) 9^th place
1937
48. Cleveland: January 11-17, 1937 with Ewald Wissel (Ger) 5^th place
49. Milwaukee: January 22-28, 1937 with Jules Audy (Can) abandoned
50. Saint Louis: February 2-8, 1937 with Albert Heaton (Can) 5^th place
51. Indianapolis: February 15-20, 1937 with Reginald Fielding (Can) 7^th place
52. Kansas City: March 17-23, 1937 with Albert Heaton (Can) 3^rd place
53. Pittsburgh: April1-7, 1937 with Henry 'Cocky' O'Brien (Usa) 4^th place
54. Louisville: April 15-21, 1937 with Harold Nauwens (Usa) 3^rd place
55. Philadelphia: April 25-May 1, 1937 with Jules Audy (Can) 1^st place
56. Montréal: October 10-16, 1937 with Raymond Bedard (Can) abandoned
57. Chicago: November 8-13, 1937 with Jules Audy (Can) abandoned
58. New York: November 30-December 5, 1937 with Freddie Ottevaire (Usa) 8^th place
1938
59. Cleveland: January 10-16, 1938 with Jules Audy (Can) 6^th place
60. Chicago: January 30-February 5, 1938 with Fernand Wambst (Fra) 7^th place
61. Milwaukee: February 23-March 1, 1938 with Reginald Fielding (Can) abandoned
62. Indianapolis: April3-9,1938 with Fernand Wambst (Fra) 1^st place
63. Pittsburgh: April 10-15, 1938 with Fernand Wambst (Fra) 4^th place
64. Montreal: October 9-15, 1938 with Bobby Thomas (Usa) abandoned

Partners

1. Jules Audy (Can) 13 starts, 2 victories
2. William 'Torchy' Peden (Can) 10 starts, 4 victories
3. Alfred Letourneur (Fra) 7 starts, 1 victory
4. Reginald Fielding (Can) 6 starts, 1 victory
5. Jimmy Walthour (Usa) 4 starts, 1 victory
6. Fernand Wambst (Fra) 3 starts, 1 victory
7. Albert Heaton (Can) 2 starts
8. Louis Cohen (Usa) 2 starts
9. Buehler 2 starts

Victories

1. Montreal: April 12-18, 1931 with William 'Torchy' Peden(Can)
2. Montreal: October 12-17, 1931 with William 'Torchy' Peden(Can)
3. Saint Louis: February 8-14, 1933 with William 'Torchy' Peden (Can)
4. Toronto: October 23-29, 1933 with Alfred 'Diable Rouge' Letourneur (Fra)
5. Minneapolis: November 6-12, 1933 with William 'Torchy' Peden (Can)
6. Pittsburgh: September 23-30, 1934 with Jimmy Walthour (Usa)
7. Milwaukee: November 18-24, 1934 with Jules Audy (Can) and William 'Torchy' Peden (Can) (Triple)
8. Minneapolis: February 20-26, 1936 with Reginald Fielding (Can)
9. Philadelphia: April 25-May 1, 1937 with Jules Audy (Can)
10. Indianapolis: April3-9,1938 with Fernand Wambst (Fra)

Most Cities Raced In

1. Montréal: 15, six-day races
2. Toronto: 9, six-day races
3. Cleveland: 6, six-day races
4. Pittsburgh: 6, six-day races
5. Milwaukee: 5, six-day races
6. Minneapolis: 4, six-day races
7. Chicago: 3, six-day races
8. New York: 2, six-day races
9. London, England: 2, six-day races
10. Philadelphia: 2, six-day races
11. Kansas City: 2, six-day races
12. Indianapolis: 2, six-day races
13. Saint Louis: 2, six-day races
14. Vancouver: 1, six-day race
15. Portland: 1, six-day race
16. Atlantic City: 1, six-day race
17. Louisville: 1, six-day race

Induction into the Quebec Federation of Sports Cyclists in 1986

A great Six-Day racer on the track from 1929 to 1938, Henri Lepage participated in 75 Six-Day competitions in North America. He regularly teamed up with Torchy Peden and Jules Audy at competitions in Montreal, Toronto, Buffalo, New York, St-Louis, Boston, Delhi, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Madison,. . . He won the Canadian Track Championship in 1930-31, as well as a dozen Six-Days during his cycling career. Henri Lepage died in 1959.