Constant ("Stan") Ockers was a Belgian professional racing cyclist.
Alberic "Briek" Schotte was a Belgian professional road racing cyclist, one of the champions of the 1940s and 1950s. His stamina earned him the nickname "Iron Briek".
Henri Desgrange was a French bicycle racer and sports journalist. He set twelve world track cycling records, including the hour record of 35.325 kilometres (21.950 mi) on 11 May 1893. He was the first organiser of the Tour de France.
Ercole Baldini was an Italian cyclist. As an amateur he won an Olympic gold medal in the road race and the world title in the individual pursuit on track, both in 1956. Next year he turned professional, and in 1958 won the world title in the road race and the Giro d'Italia. He continued competing on track and won bronze medals in the individual pursuit at the world championships of 1960 and 1964.
Alfred De Bruyne was a Belgian champion road cyclist. He won six Tour de France stages early in his career and went on to win many other Monuments and stage races.
The Super Prestige Pernod was a season-long competition in road bicycle racing between 1958 and 1987. For the first edition it was known as the Prestige Pernod, and for the last four years as the Super Prestige Pernod International.
The Challenge Desgrange-Colombo was a season-long road bicycle racing competition between 1948 and 1958. There were two classifications, one for individual cyclists and another for nations.
Loretto Petrucci was an Italian professional road bicycle racer who won Milan–San Remo in 1952 and 1953.
The UCI men's road racing world rankings are a point system which is used to rank men's road cycling riders. Points are accrued over a rolling 52 weeks in three categories.
The 1948 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo was the first edition of the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo. It included nine races - seven one-day races and two stage races - all in Belgium, France or Italy.
The 1949 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo was the second edition of the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo. It included ten races: all nine races from the 1948 edition were retained and the Tour de Suisse added. The competition was won by Fausto Coppi of the Bianchi–Ursus who won four of the ten rounds: Milan–San Remo, the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France and the Giro di Lombardia.
The 1950 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo was the third edition of the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo. It included ten races: all the races form the 1949 edition were retained with no additions.
The 1951 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo was the fourth edition of the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo. It included eleven races: all the races form the 1950 edition were retained with the addition of Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Paris–Tours moved from a spring slot to an autumn slot. Louison Bobet won the competition by a single point to 1950 champion Ferdinand Kübler. France won their first nations championship.
The 1952 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo was the fifth edition of the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo. It included eleven races: all the races form the 1951 edition were retained with no additions. Ferdinand Kübler won his second edition, having previously won in 1950. Italy won the nations championship.
The 1953 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo was the sixth edition of the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo. It included eleven races: all the races form the 1952 edition were retained with no additions. Loretto Petrucci won the individual championship while Italy retained the nations championship.
The 1954 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo was the seventh edition of the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo. It included eleven races: all the races form the 1953 edition were retained with no additions. Ferdinand Kübler won his third individual championship while Belgium won the nations championship.
The 1955 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo was the eighth edition of the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo. It included eleven races: all the races form the 1954 edition were retained with no additions. Stan Ockers won the individual championship while Belgium retained the nations championship.
The 1956 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo was the ninth edition of the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo. It included eleven races: all the races form the 1955 edition were retained with no additions. Fred De Bruyne won the first of his three individual championships while Belgium retained the nations championship.
The 1958 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo was the eleventh and final edition of the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo. It included eleven races: all the races form the 1957 edition were retained and the Vuelta a España was included for the first time. Fred De Bruyne won the third of his three individual championships while Belgium retained the nations championship. The Challenge Desgrange-Colombo folded after the 1958 season and the Super Prestige Pernod replaced it as the season-long competition for road bicycle racing.
The 1959 Super Prestige Pernod was the first edition of the Super Prestige Pernod. It included 11 races all of which, apart from the World Championship race, started in France. It replaced the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo as the season-long competition for road bicycle racing. Henry Anglade won the overall title.
Fred De Bruyne (BEL)(Carpano–Coppi)
