Cars, Riders & Toys

The peloton riders, much like the toy soldiers in America, were at their peak of popularity in the 1940s through ‘60s. However, unlike the cheap plastic toy soldiers that were commonplace in the U.S., every cyclist figurine was made of metal and painted by hand, resulting in a beautiful, straightforward toy. Beyond the familiar pose of a rider in the drops, there were follow cars, caravan motos, riders posed as race winners or drinking from a water bottle, soigneurs, fans and finish-line banners. Like the green army men, the riders helped children play out their dreams, reenact their favorite moments from races, have epic battles on the famous climbs of the Tour, or anything else they could think up.