The first decades of history of Tour de France are full with extraordinary stories. One of them is the story of the cyclist with a glass eye.
Honoré Barthélémy (1891-1964) crashed badly on the 8th stage (Perpignan
- Aix-en-Provence, 325 km) of Tour de France in 1920. Despite having problems with his sight, he mounted his bike again and continued the race. Only a bit later he realised, he didn't suffered concussion, but was really half-blind. He finished the stage also with a broken shoulder and a dislocated wrist.
Barthélémy, who was 5th in overall at the previous edition of Tour de France, managed to finish the race despite this serious health difficulties. At the end, he was the 8th best rider of Tour de France 1920.
Although the circumstances were far less than optimal for a person with a glass eye, Barthélémy continued racing. He not only finished 3rd the Tour de France in 1921, but also won a stage (12th stage, Geneva - Strasbourg, 371 km).
Sometimes he took the eye out, it was more confortable, especially on dusty roads. Also, it happened many occasions, that the eye just felt out and caused unexpected troubles for the cyclist.
Honoré Barthélémy was good not only on roads, but he had some success, even after his accident, on track too.
Faces from the peloton: Victor Fontan (1892-1982)
A cyclist running while carrying his bike on his shoulder. Surely, you’ve seen this vintage cycling image several times. Now it’s time to learn a bit more about the protagonist of the picture. Victor Fontan (1892-1982) in the Faces from the peloton series of PelotonTales blog. A local rider World War I, like World War… Read More »Faces from the peloton: Victor Fontan (1892-1982)
Faces from the peloton: Luigi Marchisio (1909-1992)
In the year when Giro d’Italia organizers decided to pay Alfredo Binda for not to participate the race, a 21-year-young neo-pro rider, Luigi Marchisio had the chance of his lifetime in the Legnano team. And that’s it. This is pretty much his story, because besides winning the Giro d’Italia in 1930, he had very few… Read More »Faces from the peloton: Luigi Marchisio (1909-1992)
Faces from the peloton: Olimpio Bizzi (1916-1976)
The youngest Giro-stage winner ever, Olimpio Bizzi (1916-1976) was active as professional cyclist between 1936 and 1952. Practically, he was racing in the shadow of the greatest generation of Italian cyclists, including Learco Guerra, Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi, or Giorenzo Magni Nevertheless, Bizzi had his own successes during his career. Besides some minor one-day race… Read More »Faces from the peloton: Olimpio Bizzi (1916-1976)
Faces from the peloton: Victor Fontan (1892-1982)
A cyclist running while carrying his bike on his shoulder. Surely, you’ve seen this vintage cycling image several times. Now it’s time to learn a bit more about the protagonist of the picture. Victor Fontan (1892-1982) in the Faces from the peloton series of PelotonTales blog. A local rider World War I, like World War… Read More »Faces from the peloton: Victor Fontan (1892-1982)
The grumpy cyclist with the broken bicycle – Giusto Cerutti at Tour de France 1928
Giusto Cerutti (1903-1993) had at least one bad day at the Tour de France in 1928.We don’t know much about the grumpy cyclist with the broken bicycle. But one thing is sure, he is the unlucky (anti)hero of one of the most searched vintage cycling images on the internet.According to ProCyclingStats, Cerutti abandoned the race… Read More »The grumpy cyclist with the broken bicycle – Giusto Cerutti at Tour de France 1928
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