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63-461: Paris–Brest–Paris (PBP) is a long-distance cycling event. It was originally a 1,200 km (750 mi) bicycle race in France from Paris to Brest and back to Paris in 1891. The last time it was run as a race was 1951. The most recent edition of PBP was held on 20 August 2023. In 1931 amateur cyclists were separated from professionals. There are two independent long distance bicycle tours. One

126-666: A comfortably prosperous middle-class family living in Paris. Desgrange worked as a clerk at the Depeux-Dumesnil law office near the Place de Clichy in Paris and may have qualified as a lawyer. Legend says he was fired from there either for cycling to work or for exposing the outline of his calves in tight socks as he did so. Desgrange saw his first bicycle race in 1891 when he went to the finish of Bordeaux–Paris . He began racing on

189-503: A didactic journey by two children and not the race) had sold six million copies before the publishers thought it necessary, in 1905, to include a map of the country they were describing. While Desgrange is known outside cycling for his Tour de France, he made a further name inside it and within other sports by creating the Audax movement in 1904. Enthused by the way he saw long-distance cyclists challenging themselves to ride long distances in

252-513: A dirt course of jumps and banked and flat corners. Cycle speedway is bicycle racing on short outdoor dirt tracks, 70–90 m (230–300 ft) in length. Motor-paced racing and keirin use motorcycles for pacing, so cyclists achieve higher speeds. Gravel racing is one of the newest disciplines of bicycle racing, emerging in the 21st century. For example, one of the premiere gravel races, Unbound Gravel , started in 2006. Some precursors to gravel racing in its current form include road races like

315-467: A fixed gear bicycle with no brakes or freewheel. The ball is controlled by the bike and the head, except when defending the goal. Cycle Polo is a team sports sport that combines elements of traditional horse polo with bicycling and is played on grass. Cycle Polo's was included in the 1908 London Olympics as a demonstration sport. The game has become particularly popular in India. Hardcourt Bike Polo

378-602: A la force du jarret! Journée du 9 Septembre MM. Bicycle racing Bicycle racing is recognised as an Olympic sport . Bicycle races are popular all over the world, especially in Europe. The countries most devoted to bicycle racing include Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland. Other countries with international standing include Australia, Luxembourg, Slovenia, United Kingdom, United States and Colombia. The first bicycle race

441-446: A large crowd and the local Peugeot bicycle dealer. For comparison, by the time Doriot and Rigoulot had reached Brest, Charles Terront and Jiel Laval had already returned to Paris. The next day they set off for Paris where they completed the trip 6 days after the cyclists. The 1901 Paris-Brest was sponsored not only by Le Petit Journal but L'Auto-Velo , edited by Henri Desgrange . For the first time, professionals were segregated from

504-624: A mile in length and sometimes run for a set time (60 min, 90 min, etc.) rather than a specific distance. Criteriums are the most popular form of road racing in North America. In Belgium, kermesses are popular, single-day events of usually over 120 km (70 mi). As well as road races in which all riders start simultaneously, individual time trial and team time trial events are also held on road-based courses. Track cycling has been around since as early as 1870. The riders competed on wooden indoor tracks that closely resembled

567-470: A set time, he created Audax Français to encourage and regulate such events in France. That in turn led to long-distance rides across France. The first 200-kilometre (120 mi) ride under Audax rules was on 3 April 1904, followed by a 100-kilometre (62 mi) walking event on 26 June. The cycling distances extended to 300, 400, and 600 kilometres (190, 250, and 370 mi) and ultimately to Paris–Brest–Paris (1,200 kilometres (750 mi)) which

630-455: A shower. The column's title was Dirty Feet. For Desgrange, the Tour de France was not simply a long-distance and multi-day cycle race - an idea invented by Lefèvre - but close to what would now be called social engineering. He sought not just the best cyclist but a supreme athlete. To him, he said several times, the perfect Tour would have a perfect winner only if one man survived. Desgrange had

693-493: A sport for road racers during the off season, to vary their training during the cold months. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter (the international or World Cup season is September–January) and consist of many laps of a 2–3 km (1–2 mi) course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills, and obstacles requiring the rider to dismount, carry the bike and remount in one motion. Races for senior categories are generally between 30 minutes and an hour long,

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756-460: A sprint over fellow Belgian François Neuville . Three years later, the 1951 event saw Maurice Diot win in a record time of 38 hours 55 minutes. It is the last time PBP has been raced by professionals and from then on the course used smaller roads and more hills. Diot won a sprint over breakaway companion Eduoard Muller after waiting for Muller to fix a puncture in Trappes, 22 km from

819-414: A tailwind and a few strong riders from the "touring" group, which that year started many hours before the "racing" group. Dickson also won in 1991 and in 1995. Susan Notorangelo set a women's record of 54 hours 40 minutes in 1983, this was bettered in 1995 when by Brigitte Kerlouet 44 hours 14 minutes. American Melinda Lyon finished as first woman in 1999 and 2003. In 2007 the first woman

882-478: A tyre or wheel, was reportedly created in 1891 to commemorate the race. It became popular with participants, partly because of its energy-giving high caloric value, and is now found in pâtisseries all over France. It goes without saying that this is a preliminary statement of fact. The final rankings will be confirmed in a few days, after the return and checking of our control books. We hope, however, that no serious objections will change each competitor's position in

945-514: A wife - they divorced - and a daughter. Little is known of either. He spent most of his life with the avant-garde artist Jeanne (Jane) Deley but never married her. She and Desgrange met some time after World War I. In 1936 Henri Desgrange had a prostate operation. The Tour de France was planned between two necessary operations, and Desgrange was determined to attend it, despite warnings that he should not. Desgrange ordered his car to be heavily packed with cushions. A doctor would ride beside him, but

1008-711: A woman than an unwashed pair of socks. In 1894 he wrote another book, Alphonse Marcaux . In 1897 he became director of the Parc des Princes velodrome and then in December 1903 of France's first permanent indoor track, the Vélodrome d'Hiver , near the Eiffel Tower . Unease with the attention paid to his track business by the leading sports paper, Le Vélo , and support from business magnates like Jules-Albert de Dion and Adolphe Clément-Bayard , who were displeased with

1071-493: Is a more popular, fast-paced, and physically demanding variation of Cycle Polo played on hard surfaces such as asphalt or concrete. In teams of three, players maneuver their bicycles while using mallets to strike a ball into the opposing team's goal. Originating in Seattle in the late 1990s, hardcourt bike polo has since gained a sharp spike in popularity worldwide, with organized leagues and tournaments held in urban centers across

1134-452: Is credited with founding the Tour de France in 1903 but the idea came from one of his journalists, Géo Lefèvre . L'Auto announced the race on 19 January 1903. Promotion of the Tour de France proved a great success for the newspaper. Circulation leapt from 25,000 before the Tour to 65,000 after it. In 1908, the race boosted circulation past a quarter of a million, and during the 1923 Tour, it

1197-406: Is not a race". This is an extremely important aspect of randonneuring , where "riders aim to complete the course within specified time limits, and receive equal recognition regardless of their finishing order." So there is no actual "winner," but a "first finisher." The Paris–Brest , a French dessert made of choux pastry and a praline flavoured cream, with a circular shape representative of

1260-502: Is popularly held to have been a 1,200 m (3,900 ft) race on the 31 May 1868 at the Parc de Saint-Cloud , Paris , France. It was won by expatriate Englishman James Moore who rode a wooden bicycle with solid rubber tires . The machine is now on display at the museum in Ely , Cambridgeshire , England. The Union Cycliste Internationale was founded on 14 April 1900 by Belgium,

1323-491: Is similar to motorcycle trials . Points are awarded for bike handling skills. The first UCI Trials World Championships took place in 1986. Freestyle BMX is an extreme sport of stunt riding BMX bikes . Artistic cycling is a discipline where athletes perform tricks (called exercises) in a format similar to ballet or gymnastics. Cycle ball , also known as "radball" (from German), is a sport similar to association football played on bicycles. The two people on each team ride

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1386-553: Is the brevet (also called randonnée ) organised by the Audax Club Parisien, in which cyclists ride individually. The goal is to make it within 90 hours, but with no competition. This event is held every four years. The other is an audax organised by the Union des Audax Françaises where cyclists ride in a group. As in all brevet events, there is emphasis on self-sufficiency. Riders buy supplies anywhere along

1449-627: The Légion d'honneur pinned to his chest, and went to war as a poilu , an ordinary soldier. He won the Croix de Guerre in combat and continued to write for L'Auto but under the name "Desgrenier". Desgrenier is a play on words. Desgrange translates loosely as Barnes in English; the slight change turned his name into Lofts. Desgrange was made an officer in May 1919 and that summer returned to L'Auto to edit

1512-494: The Tour de France , Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España to multi-day stage races such as the Tour de Suisse and Tour of California , to single day "Classics" such as the Tour of Flanders and Milan–San Remo . The longest one-day road race sanctioned by USA Cycling is LOTOJA which covers the 206 mi (332 km) from Logan, Utah , to Jackson, Wyoming . Criteriums are races based on circuits typically less than

1575-703: The Tour of the Battenkill and Boulder–Roubaix (named after Paris–Roubaix ) which are road races with gravel sections. The distinguishing features of gravel racing include long distances, often 100 to 200 mi (160 to 320 km), and mass starts that include all categories of racers, similar to Gran Fondo rides. The bicycles and courses in gravel racing vary widely, from road bicycles with wide tires used on smooth gravel roads to bicycles that are similar to mountain bike used on courses that include technical trails. Speeds achieved on indoor tracks are usually greater than those on roads. Other factors affecting speed are

1638-451: The "touriste-routier" group (in which a 65-year-old finished in just over 200 hours). The newspapers organized a telegraph system to relay results to their Paris presses, and the public followed the exploits of Maurice Garin , who won in just over 52 hours over 112 other professionals. So many newspapers were sold that Géo Lefèvre at L'Auto suggested an even bigger race, the Tour de France . Under Henri Desgrange's leadership,

1701-439: The 120 km (70 mi) Cootamundra Annual Classic it is 11.8 metres per second (42 km/h; 26 mph). In the 259 km (200 mi) 2010 Paris–Roubaix , Fabian Cancellara set a speed of 10.9 metres per second (39 km/h; 24 mph), while over the 818 km (500 mi) Furnace Creek 508 , the speed drops dramatically to 8.3 metres per second (30 km/h; 19 mph). For an extreme road distance such as

1764-458: The 1980s, the randonneur event included a "Challenge des Constructeurs" for the bicycle maker with the three best-placed riders. René Herse won this "Challenge" every time from 1948 until 1971, and again in 1975. No other builder won the "Challenge" more than once. The Belgian former professional Herman de Munck came 5th in 66, first in 71, 75, 79 and 83. He was disqualified in 79, most believe unfairly. De Munck continues to place highly, finishing

1827-552: The 1999 PBP 109th place at the age of 60. The randonneur Paris–Brest–Paris has always allowed women to participate. In 1975, Chantal de la Cruz and Nicole Chabriand lowered the women's time to 57 hours. In 1979, Suzy de Carvalho finished in 57h02m. American Scott Dickson came third in 1979, though at just less than 49 hours he was four hours behind the winners. In 1983 he again came third, this time by only one hour. He won his first PBP in 1987 by breaking away in Brest, aided by

1890-516: The 207 finished. The race was a coup for Le Petit Journal , bringing circulation increases. However, the logistics were daunting enough that organizers settled on a ten-year interval between editions. Perhaps the most unusual entrant was a petrol-powered Peugeot Type 3 Quadricycle, driven by Auguste Doriot and Louis Rigoulot . In order to publicly prove its reliability and performance Armand Peugeot had persuaded Pierre Giffard to have its progress certified by his network of monitors and marshals,

1953-527: The 4,800 km (3,000 mi) Race Across America , the average speed of the record holder is 5.7 metres per second (21 km/h; 13 mph), while the 2,350 km (1,000 mi) Freedom Trail over mountainous terrain in South Africa is at a record speed of 1.9 metres per second (6.8 km/h; 4.3 mph). Mountain bike trials is a sport where riders navigate natural and human-made obstacles without putting down their foot, or "dabbing". It

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2016-534: The French favourite Henri Pélissier stalked off in 1920 after Desgrange penalised him two minutes for leaving a flat tyre by the roadside. In 1924 he and two other riders walked out of the race in Coutances after a row about whether riders were allowed to take off clothing as the day grew hotter. Desgrange dismissed Pélissier as "a pigheaded, arrogant champion". Marcel Bidot , another rider and later manager of

2079-510: The French team in the Tour de France, called Desgrange "a driven man and a boss who tolerated no disagreement". Desgrange created a committee for physical education at the start of the first world war and trained several thousand soldiers to prepare them for the Front. Despite his age - he was already more than 50 - Desgrange then enrolled as a soldier himself. He presented himself at an assembly centre at Autan , distinctive for his grey hair and

2142-684: The United States, France, Italy, and Switzerland to replace the International Cycling Association , which had been formed in 1892, over a row with Great Britain as well as because of other issues. Since the rise of the Olympic Movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics , cycling has been a contestant event in every Summer Olympic Games . Road bicycle racing involve both team and individual competition, and races are contested in various ways. They range from

2205-405: The course, but support by motorized vehicles is prohibited except at checkpoints. There is a 90-hour limit and the clock runs continuously. Many riders sleep as little as possible, sometimes catching a few minutes beside the road before continuing. Participants must first complete a series of brevets (randonneuring events) within the same 12-month timeframe. For participants from most countries,

2268-449: The detail. He wrote in L'Auto : A suggestion of how Desgrange already perceived his race came in the paragraph that followed: The "magnitude of the Tour de France", by then only in its second year, came close to be ended there and then. Desgrange wrote in L'Auto : Desgrange soon thought otherwise and ran his Tour de France for another three decades. It was "his" Tour de France with rules that he drew up, rules that he imposed strictly -

2331-446: The distance being about three times further than any road vehicle had travelled before. After a 3-day journey from Valentigny to Paris, they started immediately behind the bicycles. They covered 200 kilometres on the first day and 160 km on the second, but then lost 24 hours when a gear failed near Morlaix . After effecting a repair using local resources (a shoemaker's tools) they arrived at Brest after dark where they were received by

2394-536: The distance varying depending on the conditions. The sport is strongest in traditional road cycling countries such as Belgium (Flanders in particular) and France. Mountain bike races are held off-road and involve moderate to high degree of technical riding. There are several varieties; the main categories are cross-country , enduro and downhill but also 4X or four-cross racing. BMX takes place off-road. BMX races are sprints on purpose-built off-road single-lap tracks, typically on single-gear bicycles. Riders navigate

2457-473: The final standings. They have valiantly conquered by leg power! 9 September Il va de soi que ce n'est là qu'une mention, la constatation d'un fait. Pour que le classement soit definitif il faudra un délai de quelques jours, le retour de nos livres de contrôle, la vérification de diverses pièces. Nous espérons, toutefois, que pour chacun des concurrents nulle objection sérieuse, ne viendra modifier leur rang au classement final. Ils l'ont trop vaillamment conquis

2520-438: The finish. Though listed on the professional calendar in 1956 and 1961, too few racers signed up to make the event happen. Nonetheless, hundreds of randonneurs turned out. And the randonneur division even featured racing, René Herse -sponsored Roger Baumann winning over Lheuillier in 52 hours 19 minutes. PBP was held every five years between 1956 and 1975, with more participants and less media coverage. From 1948 until

2583-489: The first Paris-Brest et retour . Despite changes, Paris–Brest–Paris continues to this day as the oldest long-distance cycling road event. In an era when diamond safety frames and pneumatic tires were taking over from high-wheelers with solid rubber tires, Paris-Brest was an "épreuve," a test of the bicycle's reliability. Giffard promoted the event through editorials signed "Jean-sans-Terre." He wrote of self-sufficient riders carrying their own food and clothing. Riders would ride

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2646-490: The first Tour happened in 1903. The 1911 event saw pack riding rather than solo breaks. Five riders stayed together until nearly the last control, Emile Georget finally pulling away from Ernest Paul to finish in 50 hours and 13 minutes. The 1921 event, following World War I , was small, with 43 professionals and 65 touriste-routiers. It was fought between Eugène Christophe and Lucien Mottiat, Mottiat finally prevailing in 55 hours 7 minutes. In 1931, there

2709-501: The first four riders in the 1904 Tour de France, imposing penalties which went beyond those Desgrange had already imposed and which he thought excessive. The winner, Maurice Garin , for example, had already been fined 500 francs for taking food where taking food was not allowed. What annoyed Desgrange more was that the UVF had waited until the following 30 November before acting, to avoid igniting public passion. And that it hadn't explained

2772-411: The globe. Henri Desgrange Henri Desgrange ( French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ʁi deɡʁɑ̃ʒ] ; 31 January 1865 – 16 August 1940) was a French bicycle racer and sports journalist . He set twelve world track cycling records, including the hour record of 35.325 kilometres (21.950 mi) on 11 May 1893. He was the first organiser of the Tour de France . Henri Desgrange was born into

2835-486: The interests of cycling in general and his own, a way of thinking that justified his reputation as a despot". The sport of cycle racing grew faster than the national and international associations established to administer it. Henri Desgrange saw his race, and himself, as more than capable of standing up to the Union Vélocipédique Française (UVF), the French authority. The UVF disqualified

2898-546: The jolting and the repeated acceleration and slowing proved too much on the second day of the Tour already, and he left the race for good, retiring to his château at Beauvallon, Grimaud . Aged 75, Desgrange died at home on the Mediterranean coast on 16 August 1940. L'Auto wrote, under the headline Le Patron : A monument to his memory, paid for by subscription, stands at the Col du Galibier . The Souvenir Henri Desgrange

2961-471: The modern velodromes of today. Unlike road racing, which is dependent on environmental factors, indoor tracks ensure the sport can be competed all year round. It encompasses races that take place on banked tracks or velodromes . Events are quite diverse and can range from individual and team pursuits , two-man sprints, to various group and mass start races. Competitors use track bicycles which do not have brakes or freewheels. Cyclo-cross originated as

3024-493: The name was too similar and the consortium was ordered to drop "vélo" from the title. "It was a magnificently imaginative invention, a form of odyssey in which the lonely heroism of unpaced riders was pitted against relentless competition and elemantal nature. The Tour encompassed the territory of France, and Desgrange later claimed that it encouraged a sense of national identity, establishing La Patrie in clear geographic terms". Jim McGurn , an historian., Desgrange

3087-536: The one-day road race, criterium , and time trial to multi-stage events like the Tour de France and its sister events which make up cycling's Grand Tours . The races typically take place from spring through to autumn. Many riders from the Northern Hemisphere spend the winter in countries such as Australia to compete or train. Professional races range from the three-week "Grand Tour" stage races such as

3150-510: The paper and to restore the Tour de France in a nation of death, ruin and shortage. It is because of Desgrange and the Tour de France that the people of France first recognised the shape of their country, say two academics who have studied the role of the race in French social history. The French had little idea of their geography at the start of the 20th century, say Jean-Luc Boeuf and Yves Léonard. The popular 1877 children's schoolbook Le Tour de France par deux enfants (the title referred to

3213-535: The paper's advertising rates (and their political stance on the Dreyfus affair ), led Desgranges to become the editor of a newly-founded competing sports paper, L'Auto-Vélo , later renamed L'Équipe , The first issue of L'Auto-Vélo appeared on 16 October 1900. It was printed on yellow paper to distinguish itself from the green of Le Vélo but a court case brought by the original paper agreed in January 1902 that

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3276-402: The period coincides with the calendar year. The exception is riders from Oceania , for whom a different timeframe is used, to place the focus on events in the southern hemisphere summer. A series consists of 200 km, 300 km, 400 km and 600 km. Each can be replaced by a longer ride. Prior to 2007, the qualifying rides had to be completed from shortest to longest. Where once PBP

3339-558: The route profile (flats and hills), wind conditions, temperatures and elevation. At a 2013 event in Mexico, François Pervis achieved an average of 21.40 metres per second (77.0 km/h; 47.9 mph) with a flying start over 200 m (660 ft). The top average speed over the men's 1 km (0.6 mi) time trial at the 2004 Summer Olympics was 16.4 metres per second (59 km/h; 37 mph) recorded by Chris Hoy . Average speeds clearly drop with increasing distance, so that over

3402-438: The same bicycle for the duration. Only Frenchmen were allowed to enter, and 207 participated. The first (1891) Paris-Brest saw Michelin 's Charles Terront and Dunlop 's Jiel-Laval contest the lead. Terront prevailed, passing Jiel-Laval as he slept during the third night, to finish in 71 hours 22 minutes. Both had flats that took an hour to repair but enjoyed an advantage over riders on solid tires. Ultimately, 99 of

3465-434: The same time on the same road. Cyclists could ride individually (French allure libre ) and there was a limit of 96 hours. 57 participated, among them two women, a tandem with two men, four mixed tandems and a triplet. The 1931 professional event saw victory by Australian Hubert Opperman with a sprint on the finish velodrome after his long solo breakaway was neutralized just outside Paris. Opperman's finishing time

3528-491: The track, but endurance riding suited him better, and he set the first recognised "hour record" when on 11 May 1893 he rode 35.325 kilometres (21.950 mi) on the Buffalo velodrome in Paris. He also established records at 50 and 100 km and 100 miles and became a tricycle champion in 1893. He wrote a training book in 1894, La tête et les jambes , which included the advice that an ambitious rider has no more need of

3591-483: Was Christiane Thibault, and in 2011 it was Isabelle Esclangon, both from France. The 2007 Paris–Brest–Paris was the first poor weather event since 1987. It was the worst weather PBP riders had faced since 1956. 30.2% failed to finish. There are three groups of riders: Although the History of PBP website mentions that PBP started as a race, according to the official PBP website "the organizers strongly feel that PBP

3654-399: Was a change in the regulations. Proposed by André Griffe (president of the Union des Audax Cyclistes Parisiens), Desgrange (president of l'Auto) replaced the touriste-routier group by an Audax , where cyclists rode in groups of 10 at an average 20kmh (22.5kmh since 1961). Many people disliked that change. So Camille Durand (president of the Audax Club Parisien, ACP) organised another PBP at

3717-403: Was a record 49 hours 21 minutes, despite constant rain. His diet included 12 pounds of celery , which he thought an important energy source (celery's energy content is minuscule, but it may have been a source of fluid and salt). Owing to World War II , the 1941 PBP was postponed to 1948, when L'Equipe sponsored the event. Of 52 pros, Albert Hendrickx proved strongest, winning in

3780-536: Was contested by a few professionals as a demonstration of the bicycle's potential, today the focus is on the ordinary rider. In 2015, the controls were in the following towns. All controls except for St Quentin and Brest are visited in both the westbound and eastbound directions. The 2019 event started and ended at the National Sheepfold, Rambouillet and the 2023 event in front of the castle of Rambouillet. Pierre Giffard of Le Petit Journal staged

3843-462: Was originally a race but became an international Audax ride. The Audax movement extends to swimming, with Audax brevets created over six kilometres (three point seven miles) on 27 June 1913, then to rowing over 80 kilometres (50 mi) and finally, in 1985, to skiing. The Union des Audax Parisien was created on 14 July 1921 to administer brevets across the world. It became the Union des Audax Français on 1 January 1956. Throughout his life, Desgrange

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3906-579: Was passionate about improving the health of the nation. He was concerned that so many Frenchmen had been rejected by the army because of their poor health that France had not been able to protect itself adequately in the Franco-Prussian war. He set a personal example by running for a couple of hours a day all through his life. Jacques Goddet (son of Victor Goddet) said: Desgrange used L'Auto to help his campaign, going as far as listing riders he had seen his Parc des Princes cycle track without having

3969-418: Was selling 500,000 copies a day. The record circulation claimed by Desgrange was 854,000, achieved during the 1933 Tour. The reporter Pierre Chany wrote: "He knew the imperfections of his work, which was still in progress, but it was as if he didn't see them. He rejected advice, certain of his authority and decisions, powerful in a world where his word had the force of law. He followed a narrow path between

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