Paris-Brest-Paris 1931

Emile Decroix (4th), Leon Louyet (2nd) & Ernest Mottard (12th)
Paris-Brest-Paris
Buffalo Velodrome, 6 September 1931

This powerful black-and-white image captures the raw exhaustion and gritty determination of the Genial team at the finish of the legendary Paris–Brest–Paris, one of the oldest and most grueling endurance races in cycling history. Caked in mud, their jerseys torn and sweat-stained, these riders embody the brutal reality of early long-distance racing, where toughness outweighed technology and heroics played out over hundreds of unpaved kilometers.

Surrounded by curious onlookers and fellow racers, Leon Louvet, in the center, grips his handlebars with a bouquet of victory flowers tangled in his brake cables, a surreal contrast to the fatigue etched on every face. The riders’ expressions speak volumes—fellow Belgians Emile Decrois and Ernest Mottard flank Leon Louyet in the center.

Paris-Brest-Paris was a long, grueling race, 1,200 km (750 miles) in length, with few stops, and minimal support was allowed. In 1931, the fifth edition of Paris-Brest-Paris was held under stormy conditions, and many of the 28 professional riders who started the race did not finish. This edition ended with a sprint in the Buffalo Velodrome after 50 hours on the road.

Each image in the Vintage Print Series has been reproduced from an original photographic print or negative in The Horton Collection archives. Each has been carefully restored to remove dust, water stains, fingerprints, and other signs of wear and tear. Lithograph printing was done by AMP Printing in Dublin, California, on Daiei TopKote 111-pound acid-free, archival-quality stock using a Heidelberg press.

Each print comes packaged in a crystal clear sealed bag with a descriptive insert.  Beautifully packaged for gift giving.

Litho Size: 8 in. x 10 in.