Bordeaux–Paris
The classic cycling race Paris - Bordeaux was down to its last staging in 1988 with a length of more than 600 km, the second longest one-day race in cycling. Longer was only Paris-Brest- Paris with more than 1200 km.
The discharged directly to Paris from Bordeaux and known as the Derby race was first organized in 1891, making it the oldest continuously discharged cycling race at all. The very first winner, Briton George Pilkington Mills, drove the entire distance without long pauses and needed for almost 24 hours. In contrast to all modern classics such as Paris -Roubaix and Milan - Sanremo race it was to last place with pacemakers who drove at least in parts of the track directly in front of the cyclists. In the slipstream of these from the 1930s with a Derny motorized pacing the riders reached higher speeds, the strategic importance of the main field and the local slipstream driving was reduced.
Since the 1960s, the popularity of the race dropped continuously. The completely unusual for modern cycling distance and the corresponding special preparation needed for this meant that more and more drivers dispensed with the classics. For professionals, the race was held in 1988 for the last time. Since then, Bordeaux - Paris is continued only for hobby cyclists.
Record holder at the Derby with seven wins 1970-1981, the Belgian Herman Van Springel.