Velodrome
The track, managed by Henri Desgrange, who in 1903 founded the Tour de France, was 666 metres round, egg-shaped and almost without banking. The cycle track was the main feature but the size of the inner field and meant that other sports could be held there and, as Paris's main sports stadium, after the seating was expanded to 20,000 places. Desgrange and his successor, Jacques Goddet, later expanded capacity to 40,000. In fact there were 46,000 for the re-opening and the two were disciplined by the city authorities for overcrowding. At the same time, the track was reduced to 454 metres, given parallel straights and steeper bankings.
The second Parc des Princes hosted the final of the inaugural Rugby League World Cup in 1954, when Great Britain defeated France 16–12.
The last man to win a race on the track was Raymond Poulidor, when he won the last stage of the 1967 Tour de France. Roger Pingeon, the overall Tour winner, accepted his yellow jersey in a stadium in which demolition had already started.
Read more about this topic: Parc Des Princes