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 “The great international bicycle-race from Bordeaux to Paris concluded in a remarkable victory for the Englishmen. Thirty-eight riders entered, amongst them being five Englishmen. The distance was 358 miles. Mr. G. P. Mills, the hero of the Land’s End to John o’Groats ride, won in a little over 26 1/2 hours. Mills, through taking the lead so early, secures eight medals.”
“Mr. Mills, is a young man of 24, standing 5 feet 10 3/4 inches in his stockings. He weights 11st 3lbs. Learning to ride at the age of 12, he at 18, in 1885, beat on the ordinary bicycle, the 24 hour record on Liverpool roads, doing 259 miles in the Anfield race, and winning the race. His other records stand:- Early in 1886 won Anfield , 24 hours’ race. July 5 to 10, beat the Lands’ End to John o’Groats bicycle record, time 5 days 1 hour 45 min. Aug. 5 beat 24 hour’s bicycle record, doing 273 miles, which is still the record for an ordinary bicycle. Aug. 16 to 21, beat John o’Groats tricycle record, 5 days 10 hours. Sept. 14, beat 100 miles tandem tricycle record with A. J. Wilson, time 6 hours 46 min. Sept. 22, beat 50 miles tandem tricycle record with A. J. Wilson, time 2 hours 46 min. 2 2/5 sec. Oct. 2, beat 50 milr safety bicycle record, time 2 hours 47 min. 35 3/5 sec. Oct. 5, 24 hour safety bicycle record, distance 295 miles. In 1887 won the 100 miles North Road race on tricycle, time 7 hours 46 min. In September won North Road 24 hour race on a tricycle, beating record, distance 267 miles, also, in company with Mr. R. Tangley, beat the 24 hour tandem tricycle record, distance 301 1/2 miles. Our sketch is from a photograph taken immediately after the race in Paris. Nearly all of Mr. Mills’s records were made on a Beeston Humber. Although so intimately connected with the North, Mr. Mills was born in Bayswater.”
“The fact of Mills riding the Humber to victory on Sunday and Holbein on a “Swift”, has already given a big impetus to English cycles in France.”
“Mr. M. A. Holbein who finished second, is about 28 year of age, and has been well known to the public as a famous long distance rider and maker of records for some years past. His most noteworthy performance was his 364 1/2 miles in 24 hours on the North Road last year, though as recently as a fortnight ago he beat the 12 hours’ tricycle record by 10 1/2 miles by covering 174 1/2 miles on a Marlborough Club tricycle in one round of the clock. He was born at Twickenham, but has resided the greater portion of his life at Manchester, in the staple goods business in which he is engaged.”
Clearly the reporter only had the result to work from and no actual description of the race - so had to resort to reporting past achievements.
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Result 1891 - 1st Bordeaux-Paris
