Peugeot’s racing team was one of the most successful of all time. In the early 1900s, it was led by Hippolyte Aucouturier (above), winner of the 1903 Paris–Roubaix and Bordeaux–Paris races. Peugot won the Tour de France six times up to World War One. Due to the challenging economic situation after the war, Peugeot and other manufacturers pooled their resources and created a consortium known as ‘La Sportive’. The 1920 race was won by Philippe Thys riding for La Sportive.
After three years of the La Sportive consortium, Peugeot re-established its own separate team, and won the 1922 Tour de France. From 1936 until 1955 the team was known as the Peugeot-Dunlop team.
1920s Peugeot Tour de France
22.5″ Frame
28″ Wheels
Fixed wheel
(Now sold)
I took the Peugeot TDF down to Preston Park Velodrome on a frosty January morning. It received many appreciative comments from cyclists and dog walkers alike. As you can see, it is cosmetically unrestored, with remains of the original colour. It is fixed wheel, without brakes.
1920s PEUGEOT CATALOGUE EXTRACTS
TOUR DE FRANCE HISTORY
PRESTON PARK VELODROME, BRIGHTON
Preston Park Velodrome was the first to be built in Britain, and is the oldest functional velodrome in the world. The Velodrome was dug out, by hand, by the Army in 1877. The track was ready to start racing the following year and was used for annual competitions up to the start of the First World War.
When the track re-opened after the War, the track surface was made of cinders, meaning riders who had crashed had to be taken to the club house to have the cinders removed with hot water and a scrubbing brush. The tarmac surface was laid in 1936, with the first and last corners also being raised for safety reasons.
