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Perhaps the most spectacular contests ever witnessed in the world
of amateur cycling took place on the roads between Prague, Berlin and Warsaw.
When one reviews the photographs and narrative accounts of this majestic race,
it becomes easy to understand the pride this stage race instilled on the people
of Eastern Europe. The race, particularly during its Golden Age, had all the
components of a quintessential stage race: fierce battles between competitors,
strategy ploys by team managers, punishing courses, heroes, villains, and seas
of spectators.
The history of the Peace Race is presented below in four time
periods. All images shown are items from our collection.
Sadly, 2004 saw the last running
of this great race. One can only hope that, sometime in the future, "Course de
la Paix" will once again fill the roads or Eastern Europe. |
