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 rider who could join the ranks of cycling legends like the Italian icons Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi. Bobet's victory the previous year had sparked dreams of a long-awaited French resurgence in the sport, and many saw in him the potential to become a national hero—a rider capable of defining a generation and embodying the spirit of France on the world stage.

Bobet claimed the yellow jersey in the 4th stage after an impressive 49 km time trial. However, just days later, Dutch rider Wout Wagtmans seized the lead, and managed to retain the yellow jersey through the grueling 11th stage, which included the daunting ascent of the Col d'Aubisque.

The stages in the Pyrenees (after stage 11, the next day included Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde) delivered big battles. Gilbert Bauvin seemed to be the man of the moment, claiming the yellow jersey and keeping it till the 14th stage, when Louison Bobet took over the lead.

At the end, Bobet won his second Tour de France in 1954. He repeated his success in 1955.