Henri Breau, 1926-28 when velodrome racing was a rally big deal, and the French vs Italian contest for national bragging rights of bicyclists was mighty important.

Races of one-hour and 100-mile contests were common in velodromes with steeply banked tracks to allow high-speed racing. After a flying start the cyclists link up with their pacers. Riding counterclockwise, passing can only be done on the right, a blue line separating the longer passing lane from the inner.

The pacer stands or sits upright on the motorcycle to offer a maximum windbreak, and the handlebars are extended to facilitate the stance, in a standardized leather suit that allows for the same slipstream effect for any rider.

Speeds of 62 mph have been reached, though the average is between 37–43 mph.

The first races were limited more by the speed a motorcycle could achieve than the ability of the rider to follow

Motorpace racing was glamorous but dangerous. Falls were common, largely because bicycle tires tended to burst at speed. The riders wore neither helmets nor gloves. They depended on fast reflexes, the rude health of youth, and luck.

Funny how less than a 100 years later, nothing exists to show where or what the big deal was. The velodromes are all gone, the pacer motorcycles are all gone, and so are the bicycles they used to try and break the speed record.

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