Bol d'Or (cycling race)

Bol d'Or 1907

The Bol d'Or ( French for golden bowl ) was a French track race that was held between 1894 and 1928 and then again in 1950. It was a 24-hour race behind pacemakers . The idea for the race went back to the Cuca Cocoa Cup , which was held a little earlier in Great Britain and lasted over 24 hours. The editor of Paris-Pedale magazine , M. Decam, was the initiator of the Bol d'Or.

From 1894 to 1897 and from 1902 to 1928 the pacemaker was a tandem , in 1898 and 1900 a three-seater, in 1899 an electric tandem and in 1950 a derny .

In 1900 the Bol d'Or was held as part of the professional races of the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris .

The venues for the race changed:

1894 to 1897, 1902 to 1904, 1906, 1907, 1909 to 1911, 1924, 1927 and 1928: Buffalo Velodrome in Paris
1898: Roubaix Velodrome
1899: Prinzenparkstadion
1900: Vincennes Cycle Track ("La Cipale")
1905, 1908, 1912, 1913, 1919, 1950: Vélodrome d'Hiver
1925: Bordeaux Velodrome