Editing Paris–Brest–Paris (section)

===1901 to 1951 ===
[[File:Paris-Brest-Paris.jpg|thumb|Poster advertising Paris-Brest, showing 1901 winner Maurice Garin]]
The 1901 Paris-Brest was sponsored not only by ''Le Petit Journal'' but ''L'Auto-Velo'', edited by [[Henri Desgrange]]. For the first time, professionals were segregated from the "touriste-routier" group (in which a 65-year-old finished in just over 200&nbsp;hours). The newspapers organized a [[Telegraphy|telegraph]] system to relay results to their Paris presses, and the public followed the exploits of [[Maurice Garin]], who won in just over 52&nbsp;hours over 112 other professionals.

So many newspapers were sold that [[Géo Lefèvre]] at [[L'Auto]] suggested an even bigger race, the [[Tour de France]]. Under Henri Desgrange's leadership, the first Tour happened in 1903.

The 1911 event saw pack riding rather than solo breaks. Five riders stayed together until nearly the last control, Emile Georget finally pulling away from Ernest Paul to finish in 50&nbsp;hours and 13&nbsp;minutes.

The 1921 event, following [[World War I]], was small, with 43 professionals and 65 touriste-routiers. It was fought between [[Eugène Christophe]] and Lucien Mottiat, Mottiat finally prevailing in 55&nbsp;hours 7&nbsp;minutes.

In 1931, there was a change in the regulations. Proposed by André Griffe (president of the Union des Audax Cyclistes Parisiens), Desgrange (president of l'Auto) replaced the ''touriste-routier'' group by an [[Audax (cycling)|Audax]], where cyclists rode in groups of 10 at an average 20kmh (22.5kmh since 1961).

Many people disliked that change. So Camille Durand (president of the Audax Club Parisien, ACP) organised another PBP at the same time on the same road. Cyclists could ride individually (French ''allure libre'') and there was a limit of 96&nbsp;hours. 57 participated, among them two women, a [[tandem]] with two men, four mixed tandems and a triplet.

The 1931 professional event saw victory by [[Australia]]n [[Hubert Opperman]] with a sprint on the finish [[velodrome]] after his long solo breakaway was neutralized just outside Paris. Opperman's finishing time was a record 49&nbsp;hours 21&nbsp;minutes, despite constant rain. His diet included 12&nbsp;pounds of [[celery]], which he thought an important energy source (celery's energy content is minuscule, but it may have been a source of fluid and salt).

Owing to [[World War II]], the 1941 PBP was postponed to 1948, when [[L'Equipe]] sponsored the event. Of 52 pros, Albert Hendrickx proved strongest, winning in a sprint over fellow Belgian [[François Neuville]].

Three years later, the 1951 event saw Maurice Diot win in a record time of 38&nbsp;hours 55&nbsp;minutes. It is the last time PBP has been raced by professionals and from then on the course used smaller roads and more hills. Diot won a sprint over breakaway companion Eduoard Muller after waiting for Muller to fix a puncture in Trappes, 22&nbsp;km from the finish.