Paris-Vichy was held only in 1927, 1930-1935. The top finishers included top pros, Classics and TdF winners such as Jean Aerts, Maurice Archambaud, Jean Bidot, Frans Bonduel, Paul Chocque, Edgar de Caluwe, Romain Ghyssels, Roger Lapebie, André Leducq, Sylvére Maes, Antonin Magne, Georges Speicher, Félicien Vervaecke - all of them either French or Flemish.
In 1934, only the top 12 riders were "classified" (13th place or lower were not recorded), and Manuel Morand did not appear on the list. However, according to an article in Match l'Intran No.404, Morand finished 14th.
It does not appear to have been a particularly important event... in 1931 there were only 30 participants. After 1935, it disappeared from the professional calendar.
As for the racing history of recumbents, there are several good websites dealing with the topic.
Aldo Ross Blue Ball, Ohio
----- Original Message ----- From: "Howard Darr" <heddarr@indianaconnect.com> To: <olyoop@comcast.net>; <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Friday, September 24, 2004 7:17 PM Subject: Re: [CR]Pic of the day/Racing recumbent
> As I understand recumbents were banned immediately after the first race.
>
> Larry Black is a great bent guy so is Peter Stull in Alred NY has one that
> hangs from the shop ceiling that is in time line.
>
> I rode a Linnear above seat stearing. Larry's comment on that one was
> "never should have happened" There are however many that are very ridable
> and some raceworthy, for many it is the only way to continue riding and for
> others just plain old giddy fun.
>
>
> Howard Darr
> Clymer PA
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <olyoop@comcast.net>
> To: <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Friday, September 24, 2004 6:16 PM
> Subject: [CR]Pic of the day/Racing recumbent
>
>
> > I'm most curious about the picture of the day Aldo posted yesterday,
> captioned "Moran and his recumbent string out the field during the 1934
> Paris-Vichy".
> > Was the Paris-Vichy a "true" race or an event contested by randonneurs? If
> the former, was Moran a pacer, using a recumbent to fulfill a role later
> performed by riders on dernys? Or did recumbents occasionally sneak into
> races, pre-UCI? If so, was it largely peer pressure that made them so rare,
> were they banned after a certain point, or were they considered impractical
> for anything beyond long, flat slogs?
> > For that matter, are recumbent bikes permitted in the current PBP? (For
> the record, I'm not much attracted to wheeled lawnchairs, but regret a
> little that our sport's evolution has been so unnaturally constrained.)
> > Thanks, Aldo, for these absolutely wonderful photos.
> > Kris "so many questions, so little knowledge" Hicks-Green
> > Enjoying an Indian summer in Olympia, Washington
> > olyoop@comcast.net