The news is somewhat sensational and goes in sharp contrast to current cycling trends: from next year the returns Bordeaux-Paris, restored after its cancellation in 1988For those who don't know, this is one of the historic cycling classics of the last century, usually held at the same time as the Giro d'Italia and with unique characteristics.
First of all the distance, over 500 kilometers starting during the night to face almost half of it in a group, then, after the rest point, we set off again behind derny, small motorcycles normally used on the track, to play for the victory traveling at 70 km/hA race unlike any other, reserved for a few dozen riders, which usually saw the emergence of French and other cyclists from Central Europe, even great champions, just think of Hermann Van Springel, the Belgian great sprint specialist in the era of Merckx who excelled at the Bordeaux-Paris, having won 7 of them.
Night departure and group race
A unique race, which the French Cycling Federation has decided to revive for professionals after having "cleared" it for amateurs and ultramarathon specialists in recent years. To understand what we're talking about, it's important to hear from those who actually ran it, such as Bruno. Close who ran it twice.
«It's a truly special race – recalls Vicino – different from any other. I remember that we left at midnight and the first 200 kilometres were done by bike, but few had the courage to give battle already in that part of the route, knowing what they had to face. We arrived in a small village and stopped at a gym.We'd eat, get changed, and anyone who wanted could rest a bit. Then we'd head out of town to find our companion with the derny, set off together, and hook up. That was a very delicate moment, because once the coupling had taken place, the speed began to pick up to reach the 60 kilometres per hour base speed. and the real race began at that point."
The hookup and the overtaking
A very different race, more similar to those seen on the track: «The rider was targeted and the overtaking was carried out in a violent manner in some ways., meaning there was no room for slipstreams, so as soon as the operation was complete, we left. We tried to eat something while maintaining our base speed, some small sandwiches or gels made especially for the occasion. It wasn't an easy race, and we reached the finish line completely exhausted: The first time I did it, it took me three days to manage to climb the stairs in my house…».
Vicino has competed in the race twice, always finishing close to the Top 10: «I paid for my lack of experience compared to the local riders, but it was difficult to know how to manage myself., even finding the right moments to eat and not going into crisis due to lack of energy, which happened very often."
A lot of points up for grabs
There would be many differences compared to a race today: «Just think about the bikes: now they are much lighter, even the gear ratios have changed. We used to go with the 53x13, the 12 wasn't there yet. Then it was important to be in full harmony with the coach in front, who knew how to protect you from the wind and allow you to develop speed., who had to know how to cut the corners in the right way. However, it was a very popular race in France also because it awarded a lot of points for the time classifications. I remember, for example, that there was the Superprestige Pernod and the Bordeaux-Paris was worth almost as much as the Giro…».
There were also great champions who did it at the time, for example Duclos Lassalle he won it in 1983, succeeding Marcel Tinazzi, a rider with clear Italian origins who returned to his homeland, Montebelluna (TV) many years ago and who still remembers that triumph well: «But more than my victory – he says – That noise of 75cc two-stroke scooters that you heard as you approached the starting area after your break in the gym comes to mind (We were about thirty kilometers from Poitiers) and that white cloud, which gave you a clear direction of where to go and find your adventure companion. It took a quarter of an hour to warm up the engine, and the coach had to be ready.
Even the grown-ups, one day…
«That day we had found rain all night – continues Tinazzi – I found myself in front with 3-4 other riders after the road stage and keep in mind that with the derny we restarted taking into account the gaps of the first part of the raceI remember my sports director telling me to wait, but I was itching to get ahead.On a downhill stretch I accelerated to over 70 km/h and saw the leader, Maurice The Guilloux who had been third the year before and was one of the most trusted teammates of HinaultI got to within 50 meters of him and waited, eating on a stretch of slight slope. Then I passed him and went away, but after about ten kilometers I had a crisis, only he and the others were too… I held a lead of about a minute until the end, but we arrived literally cooked…».
Does it make sense to revive a similar race in today's cycling? «I think so, after all, in the roll of honour there are champions like Anquetile e Simpson, it was a very coveted race, for many of the time at the level of a Roubaix and if the Roubaix makes sense with its pavé, why can't the race behind derny have it?Many riders would do it, considering that no more than forty could be admitted, many of them members of the WorldTour teams with endurance and for once free from domestique duties. Then maybe, As time goes by, I'm sure some big names will want to try it, even just to understand what it's all about...».
