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Bol d'Or

Coordinates: 46°51′48″N 3°09′57″E / 46.86333°N 3.16583°E / 46.86333; 3.16583
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24 hours of endurance racing on a tough track: the 'Bol d’Or'

The Bol d’Or is a 24-hour endurance race for motorcycles, held annually in France. The race is part of the FIM Endurance World Championship. The riding of each bike is now shared by a team of three riders.

History

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The Bol d’Or, first organized by Eugene Mauve, in 1922, was a race for motorcycles, and automobiles limited to 1100cc engine capacity (in the 1950s the limit was raised to 1500cc, and later to 2000cc). Today, the Bol d’Or is exclusively a race for motorcycles, although there are a number of side "attractions", such as races for amateur riders and for classic bikes.[1][2]

Prior to 1953 only one rider per machine was permitted. The record holder with seven victories, Frenchman Gustave Lefèvre, won with an average speed of 107 kilometers/hour riding his Norton Manx for the whole 24 hours.[3] From 1954 to 1977 the teams comprised two riders, and then, in the interests of safety, this was increased to three.

Until 1970 the race was held at various circuits, mainly Linas-Montlhéry and Saint-Germain-en-Laye. From 1971 to 1977 the Bol d’Or was held at the permanent Le Mans Bugatti circuit, which excludes the temporary street circuit section, exiting before the Tertre Rouge esses and rejoining at the Ford Chicane, excluding the section from the Tertre Rouge, Mulsanne, and Porsche Curves. For the next 22 years the event took place at Paul Ricard, after which it moved to Magny-Cours. When the race left Le Mans the 24 Heures du Mans was established, so that when the Bol d'Or returned to Le Mans, there were for a time two annual 24-hour motorcycle endurance events on the Bugatti circuit. Until 2015, the Bol d’Or was held in the spring, while the 24 Heures du Mans was in the early September slot formerly used by the Bol d’Or. In 2016 things changed again: the "24 Heures du Mans" moved to the spring, while the Bol d’Or moved to Circuit Paul Ricard In September.[2]

24-hour motorcycle endurance racing has a strong Francophone base, with the three main events held in France (Le Mans & Magny-Cours) and French-speaking Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps), and the most successful teams and riders are French. In 1970, 1971 and 1992 all-British teams of riders won the races. British rider Terry Rymer has had consistent results. In the 1970s the competitors included Phil Read and Neil Tuxworth, who later headed Honda Racing UK. On occasion, the Mead & Tomkinson racing team fielded "Nessie", a revolutionary bike with hub-center steering.[4]

Circuits

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The race is part of the Endurance FIM World Championship. The 2016 edition was the 80th edition of the race.

The race is accompanied by a motorcycle rally, carnival and other motorcycle related events.

Results

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Rider 1 Rider 2 Rider 3 Manufacturer
1922 Switzerland Tony Zind - - Motosacoche
1923 Switzerland Tony Zind - - Motosacoche
1924 France René Francisquet - - Sunbeam
1925 France René Francisquet - - Sunbeam
1926 France Damitio - - Sunbeam
1927 Belgium Lempereur - - FN Herstal
1928 Belgium Victor Vroonen - - Gillet Herstal
1929 Belgium Victor Vroonen - - Gillet Herstal
1930 France Paul Debaisieux - - Monet-Goyon
1931 France Patural - - Velocette
1932 France Louis Jeannin - - Jonghi
1933 France René Boura - - Velocette
1934 France Willing - - Velocette
1935 France René Boura - - Norton
1936 Belgium Edgar Craët - - Gillet Herstal
1937 France Tabart - - Norton
1938 France Robert Tinoco - - Harley-Davidson
1939 France Edouard Hordelalay - - Motobécane
1940 - 1946: not held - World War II
1947 France Gustave Lefèvre - - Norton
1948 France Jacques Lenglet - - BMW
1949 France Gustave Lefèvre - - Norton
1950 France Gustave Lefèvre - - Norton
1951 France Gustave Lefèvre - - Norton Manx
1952 France Pierre Collignon - - Moto Guzzi
1953 France Gustave Lefèvre - - Norton
1954 Austria Johann Weingartmann Austria Helmut Volzwinkler - Puch
1955 Czech Republic Oldrich Hameršmid Czech Republic Saša Klimt - Jawa
1956 France Gustave Lefèvre France Georges Briand - Norton
1957 France Gustave Lefèvre France Georges Briand - Norton
1958 France Inizan France Mutel - Triumph Engineering
1959 France Jean-Claude Bargetzi France Georges Briand - Norton
1960 France René Maucherat France René Vasseur - BMW
1961 - 1968: Not held
1969 France Michel Rougerie France Daniel Urdich Honda
1970 United Kingdom Tom Dickie United Kingdom Paul Smart - Triumph Trident
1971 United Kingdom Percy Tait United Kingdom Ray Pickrell - Triumph Engineering
1972 France Gérard Debrock France Roger Ruiz - Honda
1973 France Gérard Debrock France Thierry Tchernine - Honda
1974 France Alain Genoud France Georges Godier - Kawasaki
1975 France Alain Genoud France Georges Godier - Kawasaki
1976 United Kingdom Alex George France Jean-Claude Chemarin - Honda
1977 France Christian Léon France Jean-Claude Chemarin - Honda
1978 France Christian Léon France Jean-Claude Chemarin - Honda
1979 France Christian Léon France Jean-Claude Chemarin - Honda
1980 France Pierre-Étienne Samin France Frank Gross - Suzuki
1981 France Dominique Sarron France Jean-Claude Jaubert - Honda
1982 France Jean Lafond France Hervé Guilleux France Patrick Igoa Kawasaki
1983 France Dominique Sarron France Raymond Roche France Guy Bertin Honda
1984 France Jean-Pierre Oudin Belgium Patrick de Radiguès - Suzuki
1985 France Alex Vieira France Gérard Coudray France Patrick Igoa Honda
1986 France Dominique Sarron Switzerland Pierre Bolle France Jean-Louis Battistini Honda
1987 France Dominique Sarron France Jean-Michel Mattioli France Jean-Louis Battistini Honda
1988 France Alex Vieira France Dominique Sarron France Christophe Bouheben Honda
1989 France Alex Vieira France Jean-Michel Mattioli United Kingdom Roger Burnett Honda
1990 France Alex Vieira France Jean-Michel Mattioli Belgium Stéphane Mertens Honda
1991 France Alex Vieira Canada Miguel Duhamel France Jean-Louis Battistini Kawasaki
1992 United Kingdom Terry Rymer United Kingdom Carl Fogarty United Kingdom Steve Hislop Kawasaki
1993 France Dominique Sarron France Jean-Marc Deletang France Bruno Bonhuil Suzuki
1994 France Dominique Sarron France Christian Sarron Japan Yasutomo Nagai Yamaha
1995 United Kingdom Terry Rymer France Jean-Louis Battistini France Jéhan D'Orgeix Kawasaki
1996 France Alex Vieira France William Costes France Christian Lavieille Honda
1997 United Kingdom Terry Rymer United Kingdom Brian Morrison France Jéhan D'Orgeix Kawasaki
1998 United Kingdom Terry Rymer United Kingdom Brian Morrison Australia Peter Goddard Suzuki
1999 United Kingdom Terry Rymer France Jéhan D'Orgeix France Christian Lavieille Suzuki
2000 France Jean-Marc Deletang France Fabien Foret Australia Mark Willis Yamaha
2001 United Kingdom Brian Morrison France Christian Lavieille France Laurent Brian Suzuki
2002 France Jean-Michel Bayle France Sébastien Gimbert France Nicolas Dussauge Suzuki
2003 France Jean-Michel Bayle France Sébastien Gimbert France Nicolas Dussauge Suzuki
2004 France Vincent Philippe Japan Keiichi Kitagawa France Matthieu Lagrive Suzuki
2005 France Vincent Philippe Japan Keiichi Kitagawa France Matthieu Lagrive Suzuki
2006 France Vincent Philippe Japan Keiichi Kitagawa France Matthieu Lagrive Suzuki
2007 Spain David Checa France Sébastien Gimbert France Olivier Four Yamaha
2008 France Vincent Philippe France Julien Da Costa France Matthieu Lagrive Suzuki
2009 France Vincent Philippe France Freddy Foray France Olivier Four Suzuki
2010 France Vincent Philippe France Guillaume Dietrich France Freddy Foray Suzuki
2011 France Vincent Philippe France Freddy Foray France Anthony Delhalle Suzuki
2012 France Julien Da Costa France Gregory Leblanc France Olivier Four Kawasaki
2013 France Jeremy Guarnoni France Gregory Leblanc France Loris Baz Kawasaki
2014 France Gregory Leblanc France Matthieu Lagrive France Nicolas Salchaud Kawasaki
2015 France Gregory Leblanc France Matthieu Lagrive France Fabien Foret Kawasaki SRC
2016 France Anthony Delhalle France Vincent Philippe France Étienne Masson Suzuki
2017 Spain David Checa Italy Niccolò Canepa France Mike Di Meglio Yamaha
2018 France Freddy Foray Australia Josh Hook France Mike Di Meglio Honda
2019 France Vincent Philippe France Étienne Masson France Gregg Black Suzuki
2020: not held - COVID-19 pandemic
2021 France Gregg Black Belgium Xavier Simeon France Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki
2022 Germany Florian Alt France Erwan Nigon South Africa Steven Odendaal Yamaha
2023 France Gregg Black France Sylvain Guintoli France Etienne Masson Suzuki
2024 France Gregg Black United Kingdom Dan Linfoot France Etienne Masson Suzuki
Manufacturer No. of Wins Wins
Suzuki 20 1980, 1984, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024
Honda 17 1969, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1996, 2018
Kawasaki 11 1974, 1975, 1982, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Norton 9 1935, 1937, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1959
Yamaha 5 1994, 2000, 2007, 2017, 2022
Gillet Herstal 4 1927, 1928, 1929, 1936
Triumph 3 1958, 1970, 1971
Velocette 3 1931, 1933, 1934
Sunbeam 3 1924, 1925, 1926
Motosacoche 2 1922, 1923
BMW 2 1948, 1960
Harley-Davidson 1 1938
Monet-Goyon 1 1930
Motobecane 1 1939
Moto Guzzi 1 1952
Jawa 1 1955
Puch 1 1954
Jonghi 1 1932

Side races

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  • La Tasse d'or (the golden cup), reserved for motorcycle of less than 50cc (known as the coffee cup: "tasses à café")
  • Le Bol d’Or classic (the classic golden bowl): reserved for classic motorcycles
  • Le Bol d'argent (the silver bowl): amateur competition taking place before main competition.
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References

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  1. ^ Eugene Mauve was the president of a French Club, Association motocyclecariste de France, but also a driver. After, Maurice Vimont managed the race for motorcycles : Marcel Delaherche and Luc Melua were technical marshals. Today, if the AMCF Club is always existing, Larivière Editions leads the manifestation.
  2. ^ a b "Bol d'Or site". Archived from the original on 2016-09-13. Retrieved 2016-09-04.
  3. ^ The winners of Bol d’Or.
  4. ^ Bonham's

46°51′48″N 3°09′57″E / 46.86333°N 3.16583°E / 46.86333; 3.16583