Have a good look and admire this work by Vincent Rousseau! You must be asking yourself what does this bronze sculpture represents? Are they legs pedalling on... a bicycle? No! Take a closer look... a beer bottle top! Yes, who would have thought of it? The artist wanted to represent the festive side of a very well known event in Louvain-la-Neuve : the 24-Hour Cycle Ride. This statue, created in 2006 in honour of the 30 years of the event was unveiled on the Grand Place the day of the race. However, it's not by chance that it's here today. It's symbolic : this road at the top of the town is often nicknamed “le Tourmalet des 24 heures“ (the Tourmalet of the 24-Hour Cycle Ride), referring to the Tourmalet, which is one of the highest climbs on the Tour de France.
We continue our visit with the mural art that is located just behind you. For this, scan the second QR code!
Date created
Unveiled in 2006 on the day of the 24-hour Cycle Ride, in the Grand Place.
Artist
Vincent Rousseau
Function
The sculpture commemorates 30 years of the most important event in student life in Belgium : the 24-Hour Cycle Ride. - It alludes to the festive side of this sporting event.
Characteristics
- A work in bronze.
- Size : 190 x 100 cm.
- Sponsor : alumni of the CSE Animations club (student sports club).
- Financed by several partners (UCLouvain, town council, student sports clubs, private sponsors, etc.).
- The statue represents legs pedalling on a beer bottle top.
- The UCL students sports club (CSE) started the idea of the 24-Hour Cycle Ride in 1976, with the purpose of creating an original event that would bring together students, members of the UCLouvain and local residents.
- In the beginning, it was a simple relay race through the town, with riders trying to do as many laps as possible over a nonstop 24-hour period.
To see
The route of the sculpture has been marked on the ground, leaving a track of where it has been behind it.
Artists' corner
Born on 7 July 1956, Vincent Rousseau is a Belgian sculptor whose works are recognisable by their minimalism and their simplicity. Stone, marble, bronze, copper or glass, he transforms materials into shapes inspired by Cubism.
The little extra
The 24-Hour Cycle Race has 3 categories of bikes: the participants decide whether to take their chances in a traditional race, create their own original folkloric bike, or support a humanitarian project.
