A Tour de France stage in the Pyrenees (especially, when it includes the big four, Peyresourde, Auspin, Aubisque and Tourmalet) always provides stories to tell.
Belgian rider Felicien Vervaecke won the mountain competition of Tour de France twice, in 1935 and 1937.
Before the 16th stage (Peyresourde, Tourmalet, Aspin, Aubisque) in 1936, he was 4 minutes behind his teammate Sylvère Maes in the GC. But bad luck prevented him to maintain this position.
First his bicycle broke, and he had to convince a spectator to lend his. Then he suffered a flat tire, and Tour officials forced him to wait for the reserve car. Antonin Magne, the actual third in the GC passed him. When Vervaecke got his tire, he was able to re-join Magne. He finished the stage 18 sec behind his rival.
But both riders were penalized by the jury for receiving illegal food. Vervaecke got 10 minutes, Magne only 5 minutes. Vervaecke dropped to the 3rd position of the general classification.