Thompson (2006) lists in his cultural history of the Tour de France the occupational histories of a sample of 206 men who raced the Tour between 1903 and 1969, Only 6 are named as having been miners before and/or during their racing careers among the great spread of occupations which includes butchers, bakers, cafe owners, an opera singer and Maurice Garin, the sole chimney sweep. Listed among the miners, though not directly named was a native of the 'Nord' the industrial area including Roubaix and the mines to the south of that town, Jean Stablewski - known as 'Stablinski' due to a journalist's error. After a career whose victories included the World Championship of 1962 and four French Championships he retired from racing to make a further mark in redesigning the Paris-Roubaix route. His 'piece-de-resistance' in this being the inclusion of a private road outside Arenberg, en route from Valenciennes to Roubaix, directly underneath which he had earlier mined coal himself, barely 3km in length that has become a veritable treasure of world cycling. (pic.credits www.procycling.com)