7 July 1937 Gino Bartali takes the yellow jersey for the very first time

Gino Bartali was already a two-time Giro d'Italia winner (1936 and 1937) when he first entered Tour de France in the summer of 1937.

The years before World War II witnessed the growing political-military tension in Europe. In 1936, the year when Germany violated the Treaty of Versailles (1919) by sending troops into the demilitarized Rhineland, Germany and Italy boycotted Tour de France. But in 1937 they were back again. Fascist leaders are usually obsessed with sport successes, and the prototype of all modern fascists leaders, Benito Mussolini was not different. He wanted an Italian Tour de France victory.¹

After six mostly flat stages, the seventh day provided the favourites the first real opportunity to show their form. Stage 7th was 228 km long route between Aix-les-Bains and Grenoble, including Télégraphe and Galibier. Bartali took the stage and also the yellow jersey. Because he was leading the general classification with more than 9 minutes, he became the biggest favourite of the race.

But in the next stage, Bartali crashed badly. He tried to avoid a collision with his teammate and fell into a river. He was able to finish the stage and keep his leading position, but his form became less impressive day by day. He lost the yellow jersey after the ninth stage (still in the Alps, including Izoard, Vars, Allos) and finally he abandoned the race in the 12th stage.

Bartali came back in 1938, after he was forced not to participate in Giro d'Italia in order to race Tour de France with fresh legs. He won the race. Ten years later he era ed his second overall victory.

Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali at the Tour de France 1949

Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali during Tour de France 1949

The 1949 Tour de France marked a high point in the legendary rivalry between two Italian cycling icons, Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi. Bartali had already claimed two Tour victories (1938 and 1948), while Coppi, though a three-time Giro d’Italia champion (1940, 1947, 1949), was making his Tour debut. Determined to make history, Coppi aimed… Read More »Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali during Tour de France 1949

Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali in the breakaway at Tour de France 1949

18 July 1949 – The epic breakaway of Coppi and Bartali

Thank you for being a devoted reader of PelotonTales. You are the reason why it’s worth spending so many hours to create new content and trying to improve this website. If you would show appreciation to my work, please consider supporting the blog with a small donation. Thank you! Due to the system of how… Read More »18 July 1949 – The epic breakaway of Coppi and Bartali

Legendary Italian cyclist Gino Bartali standing in the cemter of the picture, several other riders behind him

24 May 1935 Gino Bartali’s first stage victory at Giro d’Italia

The 171 km long stage between Portocivitanova and L’Aquila is sometimes called the 6th, sometimes the 7th stage of Giro d’Italia 1935 in cycling history books, depending on how you count the two half stages on the previous day.But one thing is certain. The Giro d’Italia stage was held on 24 May 1935 witnessedthe first… Read More »24 May 1935 Gino Bartali’s first stage victory at Giro d’Italia

Scandalous moment at Tour de France 1950, Gino Bartali is insulted by a spectator.

Four scandalous Tour de France editions

In its more than 120-year-long history Tour de France, the most famous road cycling race of the world witnessed good time and bad time either. It had plenty of glourious moments, but also some shameful ones. Here are the four (arguably) most scandalous editions in the history of Tour de France . 1904 – an… Read More »Four scandalous Tour de France editions

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.

French cyclist Antonin Magne is about to start his first imdividual time trial at the Tour de France in 1934

The first individual time trial at Tour de France

It’s well known that many major road cycling races were originally created for marketing purposes, as sports newspapers saw increased sales by covering these events. However, a lesser-known story is that even the format of the individual time trial in the Tour de France was influenced by a rivalry between two newspapers. L’Auto, the daily… Read More »The first individual time trial at Tour de France

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)

Cyclists crossing the finish line together on the last stage of Tour de France 1938

André Leducq and Antonin Magne crossing the finish line together (Tour de France 1938)

Before Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault on the top of Alpe d’Huez, there were André Leducq and Antonin Magne in Paris. Two dominant French riders from the first part of the 1930s, both Leducq (1930 and 1932) and Magne (1931 and 1934) won the Tour de France twice. In the very last stage of Tour… Read More »André Leducq and Antonin Magne crossing the finish line together (Tour de France 1938)

At this time, Italy had already a Tour de France winner cyclist, two-time champion (1924 and 1925) Ottavio Bottecchia. But the rider with very humble origin, who had learned to read as an adult, was a communist. His untimely death in 1927 is still an unsolved mystery. One of the theories is that he was murdered by Mussolini's hitmen. But this theory was never proved. [↩]