On this day, the 31 May, 1868, it is claimed the English cycle racer, Dr.James Moore (1849-1935), was the winner of the first official cycle race in the world at St-Cloud, Paris.

Born in Long Brackland, Bury St. Edmunds, in 1849, when James was four years old, the family moved to Paris, where he followed his father’s footsteps and became a blacksmith and farrier.

Moore became the owner of his first bicycle in 1865, a heavy wooden velocipede or boneshaker, which he rode with great enthusiasm, running errands for his father, riding from the centre of Paris to the suburbs.

He joined the Véloce Cycling Club of Paris in 1868, at 19 years of age, and began racing at the meeting held in the park at St-Cloud. The race, 1,200 metres on a gravel path, is cited as the first formal cycle race in history. And a plaque was attached to the park railings commemorating the event. However, the validity of the claim is contested, claiming Moore’s race was the third that day and not the most important.

Moore was one of the first stars of cycle racing, dominating competition for many years. In 1869 he won the world’s first road race Paris-Rouen, covering the 113 km (70 miles) ride in 10 hours 25 minutes.

He died in 1935, aged 86, his obituary read ‘The part that James Moore played in the history of cycle racing, while of brief duration, was historically of the greatest importance’

31 May, 2019