Trial over adversity
On New Year’s Day 1920, The Motor Cycle carried an editorial feature confirming the proposed Paris-Nice Trial would go ahead. Assembly would begin on February 10, 1920, with the scheduled start on February 13. The route was in four segments: Paris to Dijon of 193 miles, Dijon to Lyons 124 miles, Lyons to Marseilles 193 miles and Marseilles to Nice 140 miles, a total of 650 miles (1040km). An average speed of 18.75mph (30kph) was set for all classes of motorcycles and outfits with a tolerance of 10 minutes at open and hidden checkpoints for over 250cc solos and 350cc sidecars and 15 minutes for machines under these limits.
The Motor Cycle’s editor supplied the entry forms to British riders, while MG (Gaston) Sweerts, Motocyclisme, 1 Citè Paradis (Xe), Paris, handled Continental enquiries and all completed applications. Entries closed on January 15 at standard rate and January 30 for double fees.
Within a week, 55 entries were lodged, including from many British riders mounted on ABC, Dot, Douglas, James, GN, Matchless, New Imperial, Royal Enfield, Scott, Sunbeam and Triumph machines. French privateer entries were strong but the national factories were lukewarm to the concept.
The first of a number of dark clouds appeared when the Union Motocycliste de France flexed its muscles for the first time, banning all secret checkpoints and insisting that many more detail machine parts must be sealed than planned by Sweerts.
For their part, the ACU assisted all British entries regarding the legal and customs
