10 July 1976 Lucien Van Impe takes the yellow jersey at Tour de France

Lucien Van Impe was second in the general classification with 2 ' 41" behind Raymond Delisle before the 14th stage of Tour de France 1976. The program of the day on the 10th of July 1976 was a 139 km long route in the Pyrenees between Saint-Gaudens and Saint-Larry-Soulan, including Col de Menté, Col du Portillon and Col de Peyresourde. The stage ended on Pla d'Adet, what was visited by Tour de France for the first time in 1974. (The race returned also in the subsequent year.)

Peugeot, Delisle's team clearly didn't intend to defend the yellow jersey on that day, thus the race was open. There was a very strong breakaway group, including Luis Ocaña, who despite his famous crash on Col de Menté in 1971, was almost unbeatable on this terrain. But he was not even in the top10 of the general classification before the stage.

Neverteless, Cyrille Guimard, the director sportife of Gitane-Campagnolo team wanted to have his rider Lucien Van Impe in the breakaway group. Van Impe was quite reluctant, but joined the riders at the front of the race. Meanwhile several riders closer to him in the general classification were struggling on the climbs.

Except Joop Zoetemelk, only six seconds behid Van Impe in GC, who simple miscalculated himself and thought that the breakaway won't survive. As he realised his mistake, he started to chase Van Impe and co, but it was too late.

On the last climb Van Impe rode away from his breakaway companions, and not only he won the stage but also took the yellow jersey. 8 days later he won also the general classification of Tour de France.

Lucien Van Impe is the only cyclist who was able to win a Tour de France stage up to Pla d'Adet twice. The second occasion happened in the 5th stage in 1981. It wasn't such a career defining moment for him as it was for the first time, but the mountain points he got for being the first on the top of the ascent certainly helped him to win the KOM yersey for the 5th time.

Mountain stage in the Pyrenees with the favourites, i cluding Louison Bobet at Tour de France 1954

Louison Bobet leading the group of favourites on the Aubisque (Tour de France 1954)

In 1954, Louison Bobet entered the Tour de France as the reigning champion, carrying with him not only the weight of his title but also the hopes of an entire nation. The French public was eager to witness the rise of a new era in cycling, one marked by the dominance of a great French… Read More »Louison Bobet leading the group of favourites on the Aubisque (Tour de France 1954)

Antonin Magne on the Aubisque (Tour de France 1931)

The Col d’Aubisque is a true veteran among the iconic ascents of the Pyrenees, steeped in cycling history and tradition. This legendary climb has been a fixture in the Tour de France since 1910, when the race ventured into the high mountains for the very first time.

Wim van Est after he fell into a 70 meter deep ravine in the 13th stage of Tour de France 1951

17 July 1951 Wim van Est’s crash on the Aubisque

On the 12th stage of Tour de France 1951 Wim van Est escaped with a small group, won the stage and took the lead in the general classification. He was the first Dutchman to wear the yellow jersey. Next day the peloton arrived in the Pyrenees. The 201 km 13th long stage between Dax and… Read More »17 July 1951 Wim van Est’s crash on the Aubisque

Spanish cyclist Pedro Delgado on dolo attack on the 17th stage (Aspin, Tourmalet, Luz Ardiden) of Tour de France 1985

16 July 1985 Pedro Delgado wins on Luz Ardiden

The 17th stage of Tour de France in 1985 between Toulouse and Luz Ardiden was 209,5 km long and included also Aspin and Tourmalet. This was the very first time, that the race visited Luz Ardiden. Apparently, the main reason to include the climb into the program was its photogenic landscape. Bernard Hinault (La Vie… Read More »16 July 1985 Pedro Delgado wins on Luz Ardiden

Fédérico Ezquerra on the Galibier (Tour de France 1936)

Col du Galibier is one of the oldest participats among the ascents the peloton of Tour de France used to climb in the Alps. It was already part the program of the 1911 edition when the race visited the Alps for the very first time. In 1936, Col du Galibier, alongside with Thélégraphe… Read More »Fédérico Ezquerra on the Galibier (Tour de France 1936)

Bjarne Riis wins a shortened, 46 km long stage in the Alps at Tour de France 1996

8 July 1996 Bjarne Riis wins a shortened stage in the Alps

Road cycling is an outdoor sport, obviously, and weather conditions can cause somet8mes trouble even at events with big prestige like Tour de France. This happened in the 9th stage in 1996. The day started in Le-Monétier-les-Bains, the route was originally 176 km long. But due to the over 100km/h strong wind it must have… Read More »8 July 1996 Bjarne Riis wins a shortened stage in the Alps

Climbing Col d’Allos at Tour de France 1914 -Vintage cycling image of the day

Tour de France 1914 started on the same day, 28th June, as the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg were assassinated in Sarajevo. When the riders lined up in the middle of the nigh for the start of the first stage in Paris, they knew nothing about that this day… Read More »Climbing Col d’Allos at Tour de France 1914 -Vintage cycling image of the day

Five cyclists on untwrmacked mountain road during Tour de France 1925

Cyclists meet a local inhabitant during Tour de France 1925

During the first few decades in the history of Tour de France, mountain routes were kind of “terrae incognitae”, uncharted territories. We all know the story when Alphonse Steniès persuaded Henri Desgrange to include Tourmalet in the program of Tour de France 1910. He was struggling even to find a car driver, a local guide… Read More »Cyclists meet a local inhabitant during Tour de France 1925