Cycling Gadgets: Literature for the ambitious Historian - Le Miroir des Sport

Le Miroir des Sports is a French weekly magazine of photographic illustrations devoted to sport. Created in 1920 and following Le Miroir,

Le Miroir des Sports is a reflection of the public's enthusiasm for competitions: in July 1921, the world championship of boxing disputed between the French Georges Carpentier and the American Jack Dempsey is an example. Moreover, in its practice, sport is becoming more democratic and the sports press is no longer intended for an elite but for a wide readership.

The photograph of the moment of the exploit or of the competition takes precedence over the technical articles. The Mirror of Sports meets these expectations and complements the radio reportage, also emerging in the early 1920s. Later it celebrated the Tours of France of the 1930s.

The Second World War interrupted the publication of the title on August 29, 1939 at No. 1084. But on April 7, 1941, it reappeared: 158 issues were published until July 31, 1944.

With liberation of France it was forbidden because of the accusation of beeing collaboration work.

Le Miroir des sports reappeared on April 9, 1951. First under the title of a sports weekly Aim and Club at No. 288, then in full original title from issue 600 (November 12, 1956) meeting the need to counter the hegemony of Mirror Sprint in the niche of the weekly sports press. Sadly their last release was issued November 14, 1968 (at number 1258).

René de Latour for instance worked for Le Miroir de Sports. He later at L´Equipe became the race director of the Tour de l'Avenir cycle race.