Vélodrome Buffalo and Stade Buffalo


The Vélodrome Buffalo and Stade Buffalo were cycling tracks in Paris. The first existed from 1893 until World War I, the second from 1922 until 1957.
The name derives from the showman Buffalo Bill Cody, whose circus played on the grounds of the first velodrome.

The first velodrome

The Vélodrome Buffalo was not far from the Porte Maillot in Paris, at Neuilly-sur-Seine. It opened in 1893. The writer Tristan Bernard was director of the track in 1895. He is supposed to have introduced the practice of ringing a bell to announce the last lap of a race.
Several world records were set in this velodrome. Henri Desgrange set the first ratified hour record on 11 May 1893 covering 35.325 km. In May 1893 a rider called Cassignard set the world kilometre standing start record at 1 minute and 28 seconds.
On 27 September 1893 French cycling star Charles Terront left Saint Petersburg in Russia to cycle the across Poland and Germany before arriving at the Vélodrome Buffalo after 14 days and 7 hours.
The Bol d'Or 24-hour race began at the track in 1894 and was frequently run there.
The track was renovated in 1902 to accommodate 8,000 spectators. The concrete track, was reduced from 333 to 300 metres. The original velodrome was demolished during World War I and the land used for an aeroplane factory.

The second velodrome

Le Stade Buffalo was near Paris, at Montrouge.
It opened on 24 September 1922 and was demolished in 1957. It could accommodate 30,000 spectators for football matches and 40,000 for boxing matches. It housed a concrete cycling track. It continued to occasionally host the Bol d'Or cycle race.
This stadium hosted three international football matches: on 13 January 1924 France beat Belgium 2–0 in front of 27,000 spectators; on 21 February 1921 they beat Ireland 4-0 and on 7 December 1930 they drew 2–2 with Belgium.
On 2 January 1938 the stadium hosted the inaugural rugby league test match between Australia and France, won 35-6 by Australia.