I didn't know where to post this without starting a new thread, which didn't seem proper, except here. In this CN article you will find the distances and winning average speeds of all the Paris-Roubaix races from 2018 back to the
editio princeps in 1896.
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/paris-roubaix-2023/race-history/
I was quite struck, to say the least, with this ride in 1900, presumably on a fixed-gear bike that weighed 15 kg or so, with no technical support for flats/mechanicals and, even if the pave were not yet introduced, on unpaved roads throughout nonetheless (or so I would imagine): Emile Bouhours (Fra) 268 km (37.352 km/h).
We are for all intents and purposes in the Stone Age of cycling, yet compare Bouhour's time with these slower ones: 1973 Eddy Merckx (Bel) 272 km (36.370 km/h); 1978 Francesco Moser (Ita) 263 km (36.494; km/h); or early EPO era 1994 Andreï Tchmil (Mda) 270 km (36.160 km/h). Even though a bit faster, we're still talking about 2001 compared to 1900: 2001 Servais Knaven (Ned) 254.5 km (39.19km/h).
Considering the differences in machines, road surfaces, team organization and support, or such other factors as weather conditions and wind direction/speeds (which I frankly don't know) over comparable distances; it's absolutely incredible that in 1900 Bouhours could put up a time faster than Tchmil in 1994. Back in those days, moreover, I imagine he would also have been out in front solo or with very little company for at least 150 km.
He must of been really freekin strong is all I have to say.