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who used the same roads under machine-gun fire. Given only rudimentary directions, riders had to search through piles of rubble at various crossroads to find signage directing them to the next town; some former villages were discernable only by smears of red brick dust. As a result of shortages caused by the war, the competitors also had to deal with poor supplies of food and poor-quality tires. Newspapers including
240:, who finished with a lead of 2 hours 25 minutes. He was reportedly so cold at the end of the third stage that he was unable to sign his name, having astonished observers at the finish line of the second stage by crossing in a full-length woman's fur coat that had been given to him by a spectator along the way.
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did not see the difficulties of the event as evidence of the state of post-war France, but rather celebrated the race's competitors as "heroic survivors" who symbolised national revival; some 67 professional French cyclists were known to have died during the conflict. Upon its completion, the event's
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reported on "terrible weather, broken roads, freezing wind and icy conditions". Some local newspapers had warned before the event that the roads were in such a poor condition as to be unsuitable, but the organisers argued that these conditions bestowed prestige on the race, citing military cyclists
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s 8,500 franc purse, the equivalent of four years' wages for a typical working man, guaranteed that the race would attract top talent. The newspaper also organised a number of other sporting events during 1919, including a football tournament for the liberated regions, an air race, a cross-country
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Historian
Christopher Thompson reports that of the 87 riders who started the race, only 13 successfully finished it. It has since been described as the toughest cycle race in history. World War I had reduced many of the towns and villages that the race passed through to rubble.
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running race, a swimming competition and a boxing match. Although 140 riders registered for the race, many could not train or muster basic equipment, leaving just 87 riders to start the race in
Strasbourg, including the prominent riders
178:. The race was approximately 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) long, with riders covering around 300 kilometres (190 mi) per day, with a rest day in between each stage.
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A race of the same name was held again in 1920, but it was organised as a one-day race rather than a stage race. This event was won by the French rider
191:, to honour those who died in the war and for publicity purposes for the newspaper. It was announced on 5 January 1919, less than two months after the
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between 28 April and 11 May 1919. The race was composed of seven stages, with the first stage starting in and the last stage finishing in
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Knuts, Stijn; Delheye, Pascal (2015). "Sport, Work and the
Professional Cyclist in Belgium, 1907–40".
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Riding in the Zone Rouge: The Tour of the
Battlefields 1919 – Cycling's Toughest-Ever Stage Race
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that with the end of hostilities had again become part of France. The stages took the race to
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organisers called it a "victory ... for the French race". The publication
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Omloop van de
Slagvelden: 1919, de meest heroìsche wielerwedstrijd ooit
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as a means of reinvigorating bicycle racing in the region following
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382:"Saddles, Somme and snow: a tale of the toughest cycle race ever"
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304:. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 52–55.
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16:Bicycle race in France, Belgium and Luxembourg
470:(in Dutch). Leuven: Davidsfonds Uitgeverij.
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264:praised the Belgian participants as "
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524:Defunct cycling races in Luxembourg
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301:Tour de France: A Cultural History
236:. The race was won by the Belgian
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298:Thompson, Christopher S. (2008).
514:Defunct cycling races in Belgium
442:"Circuit des Champs de Bataille"
344:"Circuit des Champs de Bataille"
519:Defunct cycling races in France
266:géants de courage et de volonté
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128:Circuit des Champs de Bataille
20:Circuit des Champs de Bataille
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193:armistice of 11 November 1918
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380:Isitt, Tom (8 April 2014).
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408:History Workshop Journal
130:was a multiple-stage
33:Late April/early May
485:Isitt, Tom (2019).
354:on 17 November 2015
197:deadly flu pandemic
72:One-day race (1920)
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444:. Cycling Archives
420:10.1093/hwj/dbu022
117:Final edition
94:First edition
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134:held in northern
132:road bicycle race
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70:Stage race (1919)
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184:Le Petit Journal
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389:. Retrieved
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356:. Retrieved
352:the original
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216:(who wore a
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25:Race details
448:13 November
391:13 November
358:13 November
214:Ali Neffati
189:World War I
508:Categories
279:References
262:VĂ©lo-Sport
222:Paul Duboc
172:Bar-le-Duc
148:Strasbourg
144:Luxembourg
57:Discipline
51:Luxembourg
428:162187026
206:Oscar Egg
77:Organiser
61:Road race
41:Northern
160:Brussels
109:Editions
348:Rouleur
176:Belfort
140:Belgium
99: (
89:History
47:Belgium
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256:L'Auto
220:) and
199:, the
164:Amiens
152:Alsace
136:France
43:France
38:Region
424:S2CID
168:Paris
491:ISBN
472:ISBN
450:2015
393:2015
360:2015
306:ISBN
253:and
232:and
174:and
142:and
126:The
120:1920
101:1919
97:1919
67:Type
30:Date
416:doi
218:fez
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