Editing Hubert Opperman (section)

==1931 Tour de France==
Opperman rode again in [[1931 Tour de France|1931]] in a combined Australia/Switzerland team including [[Richard Lamb|Fatty Lamb]], [[Ossie Nicholson]] and [[Frankie Thomas (cyclist)|Frankie Thomas]].  Thomas had stomach trouble and did not finish stage 3<ref name=TdF3>{{cite web |url=http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/us/TDF/1931/300/etape.html |title=Stage 3 Dinan: Brest |publisher=A.S.O. / Amaury Sport Organisation |access-date=7 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160902152743/http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/us/TDF/1931/300/etape.html |archive-date=2 September 2016 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> while Nicholson broke a crank and was eliminated in stage 4.<ref name=TdF4>{{cite web |url=http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/us/TDF/1931/400/etape.html |title=Stage 4 Brest: Vannes |publisher=A.S.O. / Amaury Sport Organisation |access-date=7 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160902152744/http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/us/TDF/1931/400/etape.html |archive-date=2 September 2016 |url-status=dead  }}</ref><ref name="CanBic">{{cite web|url=http://canberrabicyclemuseum.com.au/MalvernStar/ossie_nicholson.htm |title=Australian Cycling Legend |publisher=Canberra Bicycle Museum |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007112110/http://canberrabicyclemuseum.com.au/MalvernStar/ossie_nicholson.htm |archive-date=7 October 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Opperman finished 12th, suffering from several accidents and [[dysentery]] after having occupied sixth place,<ref name=Oppy31TdF>{{cite web|url=http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/us/TDF/1931/coureurs/17.html|title=1931 Tour de France results for Hubert Opperman|publisher=A.S.O. / Amaury Sport Organisation|access-date=7 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306040530/http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/us/TDF/1931/coureurs/17.html|archive-date=6 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> while Lamb finished in 35th place and was the [[Lanterne rouge|last finisher]].<ref name=Lamb31TdF>{{cite web|url=http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/us/TDF/1931/coureurs/18.html|title=1931 Tour de France results for Richard Lamb|publisher=A.S.O. / Amaury Sport Organisation|access-date=7 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306015932/http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/us/TDF/1931/coureurs/18.html|archive-date=6 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===After the 1931 Tour===

In 1931 Opperman won [[Paris–Brest–Paris]] (726 miles, 1166&nbsp;km) in a record 49 hours 23 minutes despite rain and wind.<ref name="ReferenceC">Obituary, Cycling, UK, 27 April 1996</ref> Paris–Brest–Paris, which became a challenge ride for amateurs, was then the longest race in the world. Opperman said: "In 1931 it had a class field, with two Tour winners, Frantz and [[Maurice De Waele]], as well as Classics winners. We started in the dark and rode into the howling wind and driving rain all the way to [[Brest, France|Brest]]. It took us more than 25 hours. Once we had turned there, riders were all over the road with fatigue. Once I had to fend off Frantz when he fell asleep."<ref>Cycling, UK, 4 May 1996, p. 29</ref>

Opperman was patron of [[Audax Australia]] and [[Audax UK]], organisations encouraging long-distance riding, until his death in 1996.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.audax.org.au/public/about/about-audax |title=Audax History |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228044043/https://www.audax.org.au/public/about/about-audax |archive-date=28 December 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> He attended the centenary celebrations of [[Paris–Brest–Paris]] in 1991 and received the Gold Medal of the City of Paris. Opperman considered Paris–Brest–Paris his greatest win.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>