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 In Britain the sporting press had dropped cycling from their coverage in the early years of the sport - mainly because there was little of interest to report. The sport’s governing body the Bicycle Union, later the National Cyclists Union (NCU), did not allow professionals nor massed-start road racing. Road cycling time trials were allowed but bound-up in rules about no publicity, coded routes and disguised racing kit.
It is probably no exageration to say that from 1896 onwards there was no coverage of Bordeaux-Paris in the British mass-media. Brian Robinson’s 5th place in 1958 after a 9th place back in 1957 was largely ignored. But that changed one day in 1963 - when Tom Simpson won in Paris. The full report by JB Wadley takes you back to the enthusiasm of the day.
Tom tried again in 1965 but was beaten by a man on a mission; Jacques Anquetil. In fact he was beaten by a tandem as Anquetil and team-mate Jean Stablinski attacked in turn to ensure that Jacques could “prove” that he was better than his great rival Raymond Poulidor (more). Simpson was 3rd at just 57 sec with Vin Denson back in 6th at 18mins.
Barry Hoban was also 6th in 1970 and Paul Sherwen 10th in 1982 but that was not enough to put Bordeaux-Paris back on the British sporting radar.
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The origins of the Bordeaux to Paris cycle race are back in the 19th century. In England it was the prosperous late Victorian era and in France - La Belle Epoque. A golden age for the upper classes, as peace prevailed among the major European powers, new technologies improved lives that were unclouded by taxation and artists adapted Renaissance and eighteenth-century styles to modern forms.
The British were invited back in 1892 and Charles Holden was 3rd. A feat repeated by John Dunlop Lumsden in 1894 with Charles Lucas taking second. Some records also give R.H. Carlisle as 3rd in 1895. But in the 1896 edition Welshman Arthur Linton (seen left) was first to finish - but had gone off course. In the end he was given a dead-heat with Gaston Rivere of France - with W.J. Neason back in 4th and R.H. Carlisle in 6th. Arthur rode has a professional for Gladiator Cycles. However his victory was short-lived as Arthur died in June aged just 24.
The brief period of British successes in Bordeaux-Paris was over. It was now the turn of France and Belgium to provide the headline makers - as seen here with front page coverage for 1901 winner Lucien Lesna. A pattern for pro road cycling that was to be repeated for decades to come.
In the early days the pacers were bicycles, tandems, triplets and even quadruplets. But in 1931 motor bikes took over and this pacing became more specialised in 1938 when the Derny was introduced.
