May 11, 1893 – Early bicycle enthusiast, Henri Desgrange, established the very first bicycle world record, traveling at a top speed of 21.95 miles per hour or 35.325 km/hr at the Buffalo Velodrome in Paris, France.
This was sort of a starting point for Desgrange to take cycling to a whole new level. The Frenchman watched his first bicycle race in 1891 and caught the bug.
He ended up setting twelve world records in track cycling, was an early journalist/writer on the sport, and was the original founder of the Tour de France in 1903.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
The Evolution of Football Tactics Through the Decades
Football became a game of strategy, a battle for control of every blade of
The Evolution of Sports Betting and Its Influence on Historic Sporting Moments
The sports betting industry has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, shifting
The Evolution of Triathlon Pacing: From Iron Men to Digital Calculators
Triathlon is one of the youngest major sports with a specific, documentable origin story.
The Evolution of Prediction: From Ancient Gambling to FanDuel Predict
A Modern Take on a Long Tradition of Sports Forecasting Image by David from
The Result No One Expected Is Usually Built Earlier Than It Looks
A true upset does not feel surprising only because the underdog wins. It lands
FIFA World Cup’s Worst Ever Cases of Inter-Squad Turmoil
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, and while excitement levels are ramping
The 2026 Transfer Window Sparks Early Attention
Off-season activity in soccer during 2026 keeps showing familiar patterns: big-name transfers, shifts in
How Online Sportsbooks Have Changed the Way Fans Experience Games
Sports have always been about moments, but the way fans experience those moments has