Automobile Club de France sponsors the Bordeaux–Agen and back race

Background. Rallying is a form of motorsport distinguished by point-to-point competition rather than circuit laps. Participants leave at regular intervals, navigating open roads or special stages. The 1895 Bordeaux-Agen race fits this definition as a long cross-country event. It was organized by the Automobile Club de France, which advocated for automobile use and influenced early motorsport. The race structure involved ten stages, establishing a format that defines stage rallying.

Event Structure. The race covered 1,710 km from Bordeaux to Agen and back. It was held in ten stages, a structure that allows for the classification of competitors based on time or navigation. This format is considered the first stage rally. The event ran from 24 September to 3 October 1895. The Automobile Club de France sponsored this longest race to date, reflecting its role in promoting automobile touring and competition.

Results. The first three places were taken by two Panhard vehicles and a three-wheeler De Dion-Bouton. These results highlight the dominance of specific manufacturers in early motorsport. The Automobile Club de France, founded in November 1895, included prominent motor manufacturers and racing drivers among its members. After the Paris-Bordeaux-Paris race of June 1895, the club's Sporting Committee went on to define and organize the highest level of French motor racing in three weight classes.

Historical Context. The event led to a period of city-to-city road races being organised in Europe and the USA, which introduced many of the features found in later rallies. These features included individual start times, time controls at town entry and exit points, road books, and driving over long distances on ordinary roads facing hazards such as dust, traffic, pedestrians, and farm animals.