John Thomson’s Second Classic Photo Gallery: Following on from John’s first ‘Photo Gallery’ from the 2026 Classics, our top photographer has sent through his second part of his Belgian/French adventure taking in his look at culture, fashion and… cycling.
*** You can see the full archive of John Thomson’s photo galleries HERE. ***
John Thomson: “This is part two of my ‘2026 Holy Week Photo Gallery.’ More Flanders, Roubaix and Scheldeprijs. Plus Captain Morgan, Jesus, Tom, Eddy, great teeth and a couple of French cinema icons.”
Carrefour de L’Arbre artsy shot
Tadej Pogačar and Wout van Aert on the Carrefour de L’Arbre at Paris-Roubaix
Despite a bit of lingering sickness Matthew Brennan had an epic lead-out for Wout at the Trouée d’Arenberg
Paris-Roubaix Hauts-de-France
Tibor Del Grosso had a very calm and cool wheel change for Mathieu in the Trouée d’Arenberg at Paris-Roubaix
2023 British Champion Fred Wright on the Carrefour de l’Arbre
Captain Morgan and watching Pogi chase back on after the Shimano bike change
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot keeps an eye out for teammate Marianne Vos at the Paris-Roubaix Femmes
A close 2nd place for Marianne Vos at the Paris-Roubaix Femmes
Father Magnus won Paris-Roubaix in 2004. Zoe Bäckstedt getting 12th at the Paris-Roubaix Femmes
Kasteel Donker is a Belgian Quadrupel beer at 11% ABV in moderation
A nice top ten at the Paris-Roubaix Femmes for Arlenis Sierra
A top 20 for Shirin Van Anrooij at the Paris-Roubaix Femmes
Pfeiffer Georgi had a podium finish in 2024 at the Paris-Roubaix Femmes. Here getting a 14th place in 2026
Holy Week. “Crucifixion” (1557) by Pieter Pourbus at the Groeningemuseum Bruges
A crash and some bad luck in Paris-Roubaix for 2026 Dwars door Vlaanderen winner Filippo Ganna
2021 World Junior Champion Per Strand Hagenes at Paris-Roubaix
Luke Lamperti at Paris-Roubaix
Pink Paris glam
2023 Canadian Road Race Champion Nickolas Zukowsky at Paris-Roubaix
2022 winner Dylan van Baarle at Paris-Roubaix
Pogi on his way to winning De Ronde
Surprisingly I didn’t gain any weight on my trip. Lots of walking and not to mention chasing down the thief who grabbed my backpack off the train in Belgium
Eddy Merckx winning the 1969 Tour of Flanders. A scan from a November 2000 edition of French Vélo magazine. Photo: Vélo Sprint 2000/L’Équipe
Remco will definitely maybe ride Paris-Roubaix in 2027. Here getting a great podium at his Ronde debut
Paris gold glam
Biniam Girmay on the Oude Kwaremont
Alexis Renard on the Oude Kwaremont
Pogi on the first time up the Oude Kwaremont
Wout and Pogi on the Oude Kwaremont
Paris glam
Mike Teunissen and his cross skills got a nice top ten at Paris-Roubaix. Here on the Oude Kwaremont at the Tour of Flanders
Samuel Leroux at the Tour of Flanders is known as a time trial specialist
The best looking National Champs bike and kit. Sam Watson at the Tour of Flanders
La Chouffe is an iconic Belgian Strong Golden Ale in moderation
Sander Willems and Marwan Barhoumi at the Paris-Roubaix Juniors
Four-legged Scheldeprijs fan
Brit Henry Hobbs at the Paris-Roubaix Espoirs
Not just winning the Paris-Roubaix Juniors but setting World records in junior speed skating. Thijs Wiersma on the Carrefour de L’Arbre at the Paris-Roubaix Juniors
Robin Brugier on the spare bike of Lucas Boniface (not in the race) at the Paris-Roubaix Juniors
No Scheldeprijs for Arnaud De Lie but a debut at the Giro d’Italia in May
Tim Merlier wins the 114th Scheldeprijs from Pavel Bittner and Emilien Jeannière
A third consecutive win for Tim Merlier at the Scheldeprijs and the 100th time the race has finished in the municipality of Schoten
Belgium and European arm bands for Tim Merlier and a sprinter’s World Championship in Abu Dhabi in 2028!
Merlier in the papers. Photos: Gazet van Antwerpen/Het Laatste Nieuws
Tim Merlier said he relied a bit on his cross skills to avoid the crash that brought down Dylan Groenewegen in the Scheldeprijs
Daniel Willems won the 1979 Grand Prix Scheldt in Schoten. A scan from a September 1979 edition of International Cycle Sport
September 1979 International Cycle Sport Magazine with Francesco Moser winning a stage of the Giro d’Italia
Tommeke won the Scheldeprijs in 2004 and 2006. Here in 2016
Scheldeprijs Women in Schoten
A tough crash in the Scheldeprijs Women for Australian Champion Mackenzie Coupland. Here at the sign on in Schoten
Hélène Hesters posing with a young fan at the Scheldeprijs sign on
Charlotte kindly pausing for a photo at the Scheldeprijs sign on
Charlotte Kool winning the Scheldeprijs Women from Nienke Veenhoven and Elisa Balsamo
Midweek glam at the Scheldeprijs
Elisa Balsamo at the Scheldeprijs showing her family/friends her great teeth. She required extensive treatment and surgery after her crash on the opening stage of the RideLondon Classique in 2024
A podium finish for last year’s winner Elisa Balsamo
A tough crash for Marga López at the Scheldeprijs Women
Lots of fans and lots of sun in Schoten for the 114th Scheldeprijs
A top classics season for Demi Vollering here on the Oude Kwaremont
“Little Jeanne” (1908) by painter Jules Pascin, who was also known as the “Prince of Montparnasse,” at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp
Jean Stablinski won the 1962 World Road Championships and the 1958 Vuelta a España. A scan (with Google translate) from an October 1965 edition of Miroir du Cyclisme
French cycling legend Pauline Ferrand-Prévot getting her 2nd consecutive 2nd place at the Tour of Flanders Femmes
Jean Gabin in the classic French crime drama “Touchez pas au Grisbi” (1954). A DVD in a shop in Lille
I will never not watch Luis Buñuel’s “Belle de Jour” (1967) if it is playing on a 7 hour flight
Catherine à Paris. At Celine at Paris Fashion Week in 2019
*** Stay PEZ for John Thomson’s next BIG Pelopics ‘Photo Gallery’. ***
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