  hÃ©lÃ¨ne dutrieu (10 july 1877 &ndash; 26 june 1961), was a cycling world champion, stunt cyclist, stunt motorcyclist, automobile racer, stunt driver, pioneer aviator, wartime ambulance driver, and director of a military hospital. ==biography== hÃ©lÃ¨ne dutrieu was born on 10 july 1877 in tournai, belgium, the daughter of a belgian army officer. she left school at the age of 14 to earn a living. ===cycling success=== dutrieu became a professional track cyclist racing for the simpson lever chain team. in 1893 she gained the women's world record for distance cycled in one hour. in 1897 and 1898 she won the women's speed track cycling world championship in ostend, belgium, and earned the nickname "la flÃ¨che humaine" ("the human arrow"). in august 1898 she won the grand prix dâeurope (grand prix of europe) and in november of that year she won the course de 12 jours (12-day race) in london, england. leopold ii of belgium awarded dutrieu the cross of st andrÃ© with diamonds in honour of her cycling success. she later began performing in variety shows as a cycling speciality act and in july 1903 she cycled a loop inside a vertical track at the eldorado in marseille, france. in september 1903 she appeared at olympia, london. she became a successful stunt cyclist, a motor
1877_births 1961_deaths Aviation_pioneers Belgian_aviators Belgian_expatriates_in_France Belgian_female_cyclists Cycling_journalists Female_aviators French_aviators LA(c)gion_d\'honneur_recipients People_from_Tournai Recipients_of_the_MA(c)daille_de_l\'AA(c)ronautique Track_cyclists