# Paris–Bourges

Paris–Bourges is a French road bicycle race. The race originally started in Paris and ran to the town of Bourges in the Région Centre. However, in recent year with the length of races shortened it has become impossible to link the two cities and since 1996 the race has started in the town of Gien in the Loiret department which is 130 kilometres (80 mi) south of Paris. The official name of the race is now Paris-Gien-Bourges although it is still referred to as Paris–Bourges on the UCI calendar and throughout much of the media.
The first race was run in 1913, and won by René Pichon and it has been an annual event since 1990. Since 1949, it has been for professionals, after previously being an amateur race. It is held as a 1.1 event in the UCI Europe Tour. It previously featured as the last of the French Road Cycling Cup series of races.

## The route

The modern version of the race takes place over a distance of approximately 190 km with the middle part climbing the hills of the Sancerrois region including the three classified climbs of the Cote de Jars (324 metres), Cote de Graveron (337 metres) and La Chapelotte (378 metres), these climbs decide the mountains prize. Because of their modest height and distance from the finish (La Chapelotte is 35 km from the finish), these hills very rarely have a decisive effect on the race. The race usually concludes with a bunch sprint on the Boulevard de la République in Bourges. Only two riders have won solo in recent editions and denied the sprinters, these were Thomas Voeckler (2006) and Florian Vachon in 2012.

## Winners

| Year | Country | Rider | Team |
| 1913 | France | René Pichon | individual |
| 1914– 1916 | No race | No race | No race |
| 1917 | Belgium | Charles Juseret | individual |
| 1918– 1921 | No race | No race | No race |
| 1922 | France | Marcel Godard | individual |
| 1923 | France | Jean Brunier | J.B. Louvet-Soly |
| 1924 | France | Marcel Bidot | La Française–Diamant–Dunlop |
| 1925 | France | Gaston Deschamps | individual |
| 1926– 1946 | No race | No race | No race |
| 1947 | France | Albert Bourlon | Peugeot–Dunlop |
| 1948 | France | Marcel Dussault | Stella–Dunlop |
| 1949 | France | Marcel Dussault | Stella–Dunlop |
| 1950 | France | Amand Audaire | Gitane–Hutchinson |
| 1951 | France | Jean-Marie Goasmat | Helyett–Hutchinson |
| 1952 | France | Stanislas Bober | Alcyon–Dunlop |
| 1953 | France | Robert Varnajo | Gitane–Hutchinson |
| 1954 | France | Jean Stablinski | Gitane–Hutchinson |
| 1955 | France | Jean-Marie Cieleska | Gitane–Hutchinson |
| 1956 | France | Joseph Morvan | Arrow–Hutchinson |
| 1957 | France | Raymond Guegan | Essor–Leroux |
| 1958– 1970 | No race | No race | No race |
| 1971 | France | Walter Ricci | Sonolor–Lejeune |
| 1972 | France | Cyrille Guimard | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson |
| 1973 | France | Roland Berland | Bic |
| 1974 | Great Britain | Barry Hoban | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson |
| 1975 | France | Jean-Pierre Danguillaume | Peugeot–BP–Michelin |
| 1976 | France | Jean-Luc Molinéris | Peugeot–Esso–Michelin |
| 1977 | France | Régis Delépine | Peugeot–Esso–Michelin |
| 1978 | France | Régis Ovion | Peugeot–Esso–Michelin |
| 1979 | France | Jean-René Bernaudeau | Renault–Gitane |
| 1980 | France | Yves Hézard | Peugeot–Esso–Michelin |
| 1981 | France | Francis Castaing | Peugeot–Esso–Michelin |
| 1982 | France | Didier Vanoverschelde | La Redoute–Motobécane |
| 1983 | Ireland | Stephen Roche | Peugeot–Shell–Michelin |
| 1984 | Ireland | Sean Kelly | Skil–Reydel |
| 1985 | Switzerland | Niki Rüttimann | La Vie Claire |
| 1986 | France | Dominique Lecrocq | Système U |
| 1987 | Denmark | Kim Andersen | Toshiba–Look |
| 1988 | France | Patrice Esnault | R.M.O. |
| 1989 | No race | No race | No race |
| 1990 | France | Laurent Jalabert | Toshiba |
| 1991 | Soviet Union | Andrei Tchmil | S.E.F.B.–Saxon–Gan |
| 1992 | Belgium | Wilfried Nelissen | Panasonic–Sportlife |
| 1993 | France | Bruno Cornillet | Novemail–Histor–Laser Computer |
| 1994 | Denmark | Lars Michaelsen | Catavana–AS Corbeil–Essonnes–Cedico |
| 1995 | Italy | Daniele Nardello | Mapei–GB–Latexco |
| 1996 | Netherlands | Tristan Hoffman | TVM–Farm Frites |
| 1997 | France | Laurent Roux | TVM–Farm Frites |
| 1998 | Belgium | Ludo Dierckxsens | Lotto–Mobistar |
| 1999 | Italy | Daniele Nardello | Mapei–Quick-Step |
| 2000 | France | Laurent Brochard | Jean Delatour |
| 2001 | France | Florent Brard | Festina |
| 2002 | Denmark | Allan Johansen | Team Fakta |
| 2003 | Germany | Jens Voigt | Crédit Agricole |
| 2004 | France | Jérôme Pineau | Brioches La Boulangère |
| 2005 | Denmark | Lars Bak | Team CSC |
| 2006 | France | Thomas Voeckler | Bouygues Télécom |
| 2007 | France | Romain Feillu | Agritubel |
| 2008 | Austria | Bernhard Eisel | Team Columbia |
| 2009 | Germany | André Greipel | Team Columbia–HTC |
| 2010 | France | Anthony Ravard | Ag2r–La Mondiale |
| 2011 | Australia | Mathew Hayman | Team Sky |
| 2012 | France | Florian Vachon | Bretagne–Schuller |
| 2013 | Germany | John Degenkolb | Argos–Shimano |
| 2014 | Germany | John Degenkolb | Giant–Shimano |
| 2015 | Ireland | Sam Bennett | Bora–Argon 18 |
| 2016 | Ireland | Sam Bennett | Bora–Argon 18 |
| 2017 | France | Rudy Barbier | AG2R La Mondiale |
| 2018 | France | Valentin Madouas | Groupama–FDJ |
| 2019 | France | Marc Sarreau | Groupama–FDJ |
| 2020 | No race due to the COVID-19 pandemic | No race due to the COVID-19 pandemic | No race due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Belgium | Jordi Meeus | Bora–Hansgrohe |
| 2022 | Belgium | Jasper Philipsen | Alpecin–Deceuninck |
| 2023 | France | Arnaud Démare | Arkéa–Samsic |