Once upon a time I almost started a collection on that topic. But, after considering that I am already working on several other topics -- accordions, authors, bats, beetles (ladybird), beetles (Volkswagen), classical music, golf, and stamps of unusual materials -- I had to draw the line.
But you will have a rapt audience of at least one, for anything you care to share.
Ted
While going through my Poland stamps, I came across these issues:
From 1967 and 1972 (Scott #1501, 1876), these stamps commemorate the 20th and 25th runnings of the Warsaw-Berlin-Prague bicycle stage race, or as it was ironically named, "The Peace Race," also known, informally, as the "Tour de France of the East." Typical of all things "Eastern Bloc" at the time, the interest was not so much in promoting peace as it was in shaming the West, even to the point of childishly denying the yellow Peace Dove jersey to the 1952 race leader Ian Steel of Scotland, and the similar blue jerseys to the British national team. The race progressively lost interest after 1989, and was disbanded completely after the 2006 race.
This set from 1986 (Scott 2776-81) celebrates the centennial of the Warsaw Cyclists Society. The 30Zl value pictures Karolina Kocięcka, a pioneer of women's cycling. At a time when it was scandalous for a woman to be seen on a bicycle, Karolina, in 1891, at the age of 16, talked her way into being allowed to enter a 27km race, which she won against a dozen men cyclists.
Other notable victories came in the first public women's cycling race in 1897, and a particularly satisfying win in 1898, in St Petersburg, where she was the lone surviving rider at the end of a grueling 80km course that took 12 hours of non-stop riding to complete. "When I got down from the bike, I was curled up in a ball" - she recalled. "I could not stretch my legs, but very glad with this victory, because we all know well that I am a Pole." Her race exploits earned her the nickname, "The Flying Devil."
Ted
Serbia, 2014, obligatory tax stamp, recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Tour de Serbie.
The sample page of cycling stamps above highlights some of the typical problems we thematic collectors are routinely faced with, such as:
- balance between stamps and supporting information
- adequate identification of individual stamps (single issue, part of set, etc.)
- positioning on the page, often necessarily asymmetrical, of stamps of varying dimensions
I think Tobbe656 has succeeded pretty well on all counts and, more as a matter of personal taste, I do favour the rectangular page and stamp borders!
I'm right at the back of the peloton when it comes to that particular subject, but thanks for sharing, Tobbe!
It was tough being a professional bike rider in the early 1900´s.
On the stamp we have Maurice Garin, winner of the first Tour de France 1903. He was also one of the first to be disqualifyed in the Tour 1904.
And here´s some more information about how tough it could be...:[b]
1904 Tour de France
Garin also won the 1904 Tour de France, by a small margin over Lucien Pothier, but was subsequently stripped of the title which was awarded to Henri Cornet. The race aroused a passion among spectators, who felled trees to hold back rivals and beat up others at night outside St-Étienne. Garin was one of the mob's victims. Pierre Chany wrote:
In the climb of the col de la République, leaving St-Étienne, supporters of the regional rider, Faure, assault the Italian, Gerbi. He is thrown to the ground, beaten like plaster. He escapes with a broken finger...]
... 'A bunch of fanatics wielded sticks and shouted insults, setting on the other riders: Maurice and his brother César Garin got a succession of blows, the older brother, Maurice, was hit in the face with a stone. Soon there was general mayhem: "Up with Faure! Down with Garin! Kill them!" they were shouting. Finally cars arrived and the riders could get going thanks to pistol shots. The aggressors disappeared into the night.
Garin said: "I'll win the Tour de France provided I'm not murdered before we get to Paris.â€
As many of you out there I collect far to many areas and now I have started a topical collection "cycle racing". As if I didn´t had enough before... :=) I have put stamps aside for this collection for some years and now I´m on with it.
I was a junior cyclist 1968-1972 and my interest in cycling has just continued. Of course I follow the Giro dÃtalia and the Tour of France and many of the old races every year, like Paris-Roubaix.
I collect the stamps, real letters, maxicards a.s.o. It doesn´t bother me if there are other stamps than cycling stamps on a letter.
Anyone else that collect this topic? Could be fun to have some information exchange and maybe swap some stamps?? I´m also interested in bying if you have something to offer.
re: Anyone collecting Cycle Racing??
Once upon a time I almost started a collection on that topic. But, after considering that I am already working on several other topics -- accordions, authors, bats, beetles (ladybird), beetles (Volkswagen), classical music, golf, and stamps of unusual materials -- I had to draw the line.
But you will have a rapt audience of at least one, for anything you care to share.
Ted
re: Anyone collecting Cycle Racing??
While going through my Poland stamps, I came across these issues:
From 1967 and 1972 (Scott #1501, 1876), these stamps commemorate the 20th and 25th runnings of the Warsaw-Berlin-Prague bicycle stage race, or as it was ironically named, "The Peace Race," also known, informally, as the "Tour de France of the East." Typical of all things "Eastern Bloc" at the time, the interest was not so much in promoting peace as it was in shaming the West, even to the point of childishly denying the yellow Peace Dove jersey to the 1952 race leader Ian Steel of Scotland, and the similar blue jerseys to the British national team. The race progressively lost interest after 1989, and was disbanded completely after the 2006 race.
This set from 1986 (Scott 2776-81) celebrates the centennial of the Warsaw Cyclists Society. The 30Zl value pictures Karolina Kocięcka, a pioneer of women's cycling. At a time when it was scandalous for a woman to be seen on a bicycle, Karolina, in 1891, at the age of 16, talked her way into being allowed to enter a 27km race, which she won against a dozen men cyclists.
Other notable victories came in the first public women's cycling race in 1897, and a particularly satisfying win in 1898, in St Petersburg, where she was the lone surviving rider at the end of a grueling 80km course that took 12 hours of non-stop riding to complete. "When I got down from the bike, I was curled up in a ball" - she recalled. "I could not stretch my legs, but very glad with this victory, because we all know well that I am a Pole." Her race exploits earned her the nickname, "The Flying Devil."
Ted
re: Anyone collecting Cycle Racing??
Serbia, 2014, obligatory tax stamp, recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Tour de Serbie.
re: Anyone collecting Cycle Racing??
The sample page of cycling stamps above highlights some of the typical problems we thematic collectors are routinely faced with, such as:
- balance between stamps and supporting information
- adequate identification of individual stamps (single issue, part of set, etc.)
- positioning on the page, often necessarily asymmetrical, of stamps of varying dimensions
I think Tobbe656 has succeeded pretty well on all counts and, more as a matter of personal taste, I do favour the rectangular page and stamp borders!
I'm right at the back of the peloton when it comes to that particular subject, but thanks for sharing, Tobbe!
re: Anyone collecting Cycle Racing??
It was tough being a professional bike rider in the early 1900´s.
On the stamp we have Maurice Garin, winner of the first Tour de France 1903. He was also one of the first to be disqualifyed in the Tour 1904.
And here´s some more information about how tough it could be...:[b]
1904 Tour de France
Garin also won the 1904 Tour de France, by a small margin over Lucien Pothier, but was subsequently stripped of the title which was awarded to Henri Cornet. The race aroused a passion among spectators, who felled trees to hold back rivals and beat up others at night outside St-Étienne. Garin was one of the mob's victims. Pierre Chany wrote:
In the climb of the col de la République, leaving St-Étienne, supporters of the regional rider, Faure, assault the Italian, Gerbi. He is thrown to the ground, beaten like plaster. He escapes with a broken finger...]
... 'A bunch of fanatics wielded sticks and shouted insults, setting on the other riders: Maurice and his brother César Garin got a succession of blows, the older brother, Maurice, was hit in the face with a stone. Soon there was general mayhem: "Up with Faure! Down with Garin! Kill them!" they were shouting. Finally cars arrived and the riders could get going thanks to pistol shots. The aggressors disappeared into the night.
Garin said: "I'll win the Tour de France provided I'm not murdered before we get to Paris.â€