The Challenge Desgrange-Colombo was a season-long road bicycle racing

Road bicycle racing

Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...

 competition between 1948 and 1958. Named after Henri Desgrange

Henri Desgrange

Henri Desgrange was a French bicycle racer and sports journalist. He set 12 world track cycling records, including the hour record of 35.325 kilometres on 11 May 1893. He was the first organiser of the Tour de France.-Origins:Henri Desgrange was one of two brothers, twins...

 and Emilio Colombo

Emilio Colombo

Emilio Colombo is an Italian politician who was Prime Minister of Italy from 1970 to 1972. In addition to having held top positions in Italian governments, he was also active in European politics.-Biography:...

, the competition was organised by the newspaper

Newspaper

A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...

s L'Équipe

L'Équipe

L'Équipe is a French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sports, owned by Éditions Philippe Amaury. The paper is noted for coverage of football , rugby, motorsports and cycling...

, La Gazzetta dello Sport

La Gazzetta dello Sport

La Gazzetta dello Sport is an Italian newspaper dedicated to coverage of various sports. It was first published on April 3, 1896, allowing it to cover the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens...

, Het Nieuwsblad-Sportwereld and Les Sports. It marked early co-operation between L'Équipe and La Gazzetta dello Sport which lasts to this day.

Riders' performances in the Tour de France

Tour de France

The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...

, Giro d'Italia

Giro d'Italia

The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...

, Milan – San Remo, Paris–Roubaix, Ronde van Vlaanderen, La Flèche Wallonne

La Flèche Wallonne

La Flèche Wallonne is a major men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Belgium.The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège...

, Paris–Brussels, Paris–Tours and the Giro di Lombardia counted towards the competition. The Tour de Suisse

Tour de Suisse

The Tour de Suisse is a UCI World Tour stage race held annually in June. The race debuted in 1933 and has evolved in timing, duration and sponsorship. With the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is a proving ground for the Tour de France, and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...

 was added in 1949, Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1951, the Vuelta a España

Vuelta a España

The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...

 in 1958.

The first winner was Belgian

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 Alberic Schotte

Alberic Schotte

Alberic "Briek" Schotte was a Belgian professional road racing cyclist, one of the champions of the 1940s and 1950s...

 (winner of the 1948 Ronde van Vlaanderen and also World road race champion

World Cycling Championship

The UCI Road World Championships, often referred to as the World Cycling Championships, is the annual world championship for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale . The UCI Road World Championships include championships for elite men's road race and individual time trial...

 that year). The 1949 version was won by the Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 Fausto Coppi

Fausto Coppi

Angelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...

 while 1950 went to the Swiss

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

 Ferdi Kubler and 1951 to Louison Bobet

Louison Bobet

Louis 'Louison' Bobet was a French professional road racing cyclist. He was the first great French rider of the post-war period and the first rider to win the Tour de France in three successive years, from 1953 to 1955...

. Kubler won the Challenge Desgrange-Colombo three times (he added victories in 1952 and 1954) - a record equalled by Fred de Bruyne

Fred De Bruyne

Alfred De Bruyne was a Belgian champion cyclist.He won Milan – San Remo and Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1956, the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris–Roubaix and Paris–Tours in 1957, and again Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1958 and 1959....

, who won from 1956 to 1958.

Year	First	Second	Third	Fourth	Fifth
1948	Briek Schotte	Fermo Camellini Fermo Camellini Fermo Camellini was an Italian-French road bicycle racer who became a naturalized French citizen on October 8, 1948. He won the Paris–Nice in 1946 and the Flèche Wallonne in 1948, as well as two stages at the 1947 Tour de France. He also wore the maglia rosa during three stages of 1946 Giro d'Italia...	Gino Bartali Gino Bartali Gino Bartali, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was the most renowned Italian cyclist before the Second World War, having won the Giro d'Italia twice and the Tour de France in 1938...	Fiorenzo Magni Fiorenzo Magni Fiorenzo Magni is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist.He was born in Vaiano, province of Prato . He was the "third man" of the golden age of Italian cycling, at the time of the great rivalry between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali...	Vito Ortelli
1949	Fausto Coppi Fausto Coppi Angelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...	Gino Bartali Gino Bartali Gino Bartali, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was the most renowned Italian cyclist before the Second World War, having won the Giro d'Italia twice and the Tour de France in 1938...	Fiorenzo Magni Fiorenzo Magni Fiorenzo Magni is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist.He was born in Vaiano, province of Prato . He was the "third man" of the golden age of Italian cycling, at the time of the great rivalry between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali...	Nedo Logli	Adolfo Leoni Adolfo Leoni Adolfo Leoni was an Italian professional road bicycle racer. Leoni won many classic races before, during and after the Second World War.- Palmarès :19371939...
1950	Ferdi Kübler	Fiorenzo Magni Fiorenzo Magni Fiorenzo Magni is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist.He was born in Vaiano, province of Prato . He was the "third man" of the golden age of Italian cycling, at the time of the great rivalry between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali...	Hugo Koblet Hugo Koblet Hugo Koblet was a Swiss champion cyclist. He won the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia as well as competing in six-day and pursuit races on the track. He won 70 races as a professional...	Fausto Coppi Fausto Coppi Angelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...	Gino Bartali Gino Bartali Gino Bartali, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was the most renowned Italian cyclist before the Second World War, having won the Giro d'Italia twice and the Tour de France in 1938...
1951	Louison Bobet Louison Bobet Louis 'Louison' Bobet was a French professional road racing cyclist. He was the first great French rider of the post-war period and the first rider to win the Tour de France in three successive years, from 1953 to 1955...	Ferdi Kübler	Fiorenzo Magni Fiorenzo Magni Fiorenzo Magni is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist.He was born in Vaiano, province of Prato . He was the "third man" of the golden age of Italian cycling, at the time of the great rivalry between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali...	Hugo Koblet Hugo Koblet Hugo Koblet was a Swiss champion cyclist. He won the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia as well as competing in six-day and pursuit races on the track. He won 70 races as a professional...	Gino Bartali Gino Bartali Gino Bartali, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was the most renowned Italian cyclist before the Second World War, having won the Giro d'Italia twice and the Tour de France in 1938...
1952	Ferdi Kübler	Fausto Coppi Fausto Coppi Angelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...	Stan Ockers Stan Ockers Constant Ockers was a Belgian professional racing cyclist.He was runner-up in the Tour de France in 1950 and 1952, and the best sprinter in that race in 1955 and 1956. In 1955 he won the Classic "Ardennes double" by winning La Flèche Wallonne and the Liège–Bastogne–Liège in the same year...	Briek Schotte	Jean Robic Jean Robic Jean Robic was a French road racing cyclist, who won the 1947 Tour de France. Robic was a professional cyclist from 1943 to 1961. His diminutive stature and appearance was encapsulated in the nickname the hobgoblin of the Brittany moor...
1953	Loretto Petrucci Loretto Petrucci Loretto Petrucci is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :19501951Loretto Petrucci is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :...	Louison Bobet Louison Bobet Louis 'Louison' Bobet was a French professional road racing cyclist. He was the first great French rider of the post-war period and the first rider to win the Tour de France in three successive years, from 1953 to 1955...	Stan Ockers Stan Ockers Constant Ockers was a Belgian professional racing cyclist.He was runner-up in the Tour de France in 1950 and 1952, and the best sprinter in that race in 1955 and 1956. In 1955 he won the Classic "Ardennes double" by winning La Flèche Wallonne and the Liège–Bastogne–Liège in the same year...	Pasquale Fornara Pasquale Fornara Pasquale Fornara was a professional Italian road bicycle racer who gained fame in the 1950s by winning the Tour de Suisse stage race four times, a record that remains....	Ferdi Kübler
1954	Ferdi Kübler	Raymond Impanis Raymond Impanis Raymond Impanis was a Belgian professional cyclist from 1947 to 1963. He won Paris–Roubaix, the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Gent–Wevelgem and three stages in Tour de France. He has been made an honorary citizen of the town of Kampenhout.Impanis died on 31 December 2010, aged 85, following a long...	Louison Bobet Louison Bobet Louis 'Louison' Bobet was a French professional road racing cyclist. He was the first great French rider of the post-war period and the first rider to win the Tour de France in three successive years, from 1953 to 1955...	Germain Derijcke	Roger Decock Roger Decock Roger Decock is a Belgian former road bicycle racer who won the Paris–Nice in 1951 and the Ronde van Vlaanderen in 1952.-External links:...
1955	Stan Ockers Stan Ockers Constant Ockers was a Belgian professional racing cyclist.He was runner-up in the Tour de France in 1950 and 1952, and the best sprinter in that race in 1955 and 1956. In 1955 he won the Classic "Ardennes double" by winning La Flèche Wallonne and the Liège–Bastogne–Liège in the same year...	Louison Bobet Louison Bobet Louis 'Louison' Bobet was a French professional road racing cyclist. He was the first great French rider of the post-war period and the first rider to win the Tour de France in three successive years, from 1953 to 1955...	Jean Brankart Jean Brankart Jean Brankart was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer from 1953 until 1960, when Brankart had to stop his career due to heart problems...	Hugo Koblet Hugo Koblet Hugo Koblet was a Swiss champion cyclist. He won the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia as well as competing in six-day and pursuit races on the track. He won 70 races as a professional...	Germain Derijcke
1956	Fred De Bruyne Fred De Bruyne Alfred De Bruyne was a Belgian champion cyclist.He won Milan – San Remo and Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1956, the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris–Roubaix and Paris–Tours in 1957, and again Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1958 and 1959....	Stan Ockers Stan Ockers Constant Ockers was a Belgian professional racing cyclist.He was runner-up in the Tour de France in 1950 and 1952, and the best sprinter in that race in 1955 and 1956. In 1955 he won the Classic "Ardennes double" by winning La Flèche Wallonne and the Liège–Bastogne–Liège in the same year...	Jean Forestier Jean Forestier Jean Forestier is a former French cyclist. He was a professional from 1953 to 1965. Forestier won the points classification in the 1957 Tour de France, and wore the yellow jersey for two days.- Major victories :Source:19531954...	André Vlayen	Louison Bobet Louison Bobet Louis 'Louison' Bobet was a French professional road racing cyclist. He was the first great French rider of the post-war period and the first rider to win the Tour de France in three successive years, from 1953 to 1955...
1957	Fred De Bruyne Fred De Bruyne Alfred De Bruyne was a Belgian champion cyclist.He won Milan – San Remo and Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1956, the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris–Roubaix and Paris–Tours in 1957, and again Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1958 and 1959....	Raymond Impanis Raymond Impanis Raymond Impanis was a Belgian professional cyclist from 1947 to 1963. He won Paris–Roubaix, the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Gent–Wevelgem and three stages in Tour de France. He has been made an honorary citizen of the town of Kampenhout.Impanis died on 31 December 2010, aged 85, following a long...	Gastone Nencini Gastone Nencini Gastone Nencini was an Italian road racing cyclist who won the 1960 Tour de France and the 1957 Giro d'Italia....	Louison Bobet Louison Bobet Louis 'Louison' Bobet was a French professional road racing cyclist. He was the first great French rider of the post-war period and the first rider to win the Tour de France in three successive years, from 1953 to 1955...	Miguel Poblet Miguel Poblet Miguel Poblet i Orriols, born March 18, 1928 at Montcada i Reixac in the northern suburbs of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, is a Spanish former professional cyclist whose career lasted from 1944 to 1962, during which he had over 200 professional victories...
1958	Fred De Bruyne Fred De Bruyne Alfred De Bruyne was a Belgian champion cyclist.He won Milan – San Remo and Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1956, the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris–Roubaix and Paris–Tours in 1957, and again Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1958 and 1959....	Rik van Looy Rik Van Looy Henri van Looy is a Belgian former professional cyclist of the post-war period, nicknamed the King of the Classics or Emperor of Herentals...	Jacques Anquetil Jacques Anquetil Jacques Anquetil was a French road racing cyclist and the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, in 1957 and from 1961 to 1964...	Miguel Poblet Miguel Poblet Miguel Poblet i Orriols, born March 18, 1928 at Montcada i Reixac in the northern suburbs of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, is a Spanish former professional cyclist whose career lasted from 1944 to 1962, during which he had over 200 professional victories...	Ercole Baldini Ercole Baldini Ercole Baldini is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist. The highlight of his career was his win in the 1958 Giro d'Italia.-Biography:Baldini was born at Villanova di Forlì ....