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Charly Gaul on the Mont Ventoux during the individual time trial at the Tour de France 1958

Vintage cycling image of the day: Charly Gaul on Mont Ventoux

Charly Gaul won the 21 km moutain time trial up to the top of Mont Ventoux at the Tour de France 1958. Although nowadays Mont Ventoux is usually known by its legendary mountain top finishes, on its first three appearances (1951, 1952, 1955) at the Tour de France the peloton crossed the summit only during mid-race. The first opportunity for the cyclists  to triumph on the top of the ascent came in 1958. It was a 21 km long individual mountain time trial. Charly Gaul, the “Angel of the Mountains” was the fastest rider, who jumped from 6th to 3rd position in the GC. He claimed the yellow jersey a few days later and won… Read More »Vintage cycling image of the day: Charly Gaul on Mont Ventoux

Tour de France 2023 Grand Depart in the Basque Country

Tour de France starts in Basque Country in 2023

On the 1st July in 2023 starts the 110th Tour de France. Bilbao will host the start of the first stage. As usual, there will be 3 stages in the host region before the race turns back to France. The complete route of Tour de France 2023 will be announced on the 27th October 2022. MORE TOUR DE FRANCE 2023 ON PELOTONTALES [su_posts posts_per_page=”7″ tax_term=”741″ order=”desc”] FOLLOW PELOTONTALES ON TWITTER [custom-twitter-feeds]  

Cyclists from the 1920s Gustaaf van Slembrouck

Gustaaf van Slembrouck (Faces from the peloton)

Everybody knows the famous image of the “smoking cyclists” from 1927. One of them was Gustaaf Van Slembrouck. The Belgian cyclist Gustaaf Van Slembrouck (1902-1968) was a professional rider between 1926 and 1932. The first year of his professional career was the most successful: he wore the yellow jersey for 6 days at the Tour de France. Also, he finished Paris-Roubaix 2nd that year. Van Slembrouck had a total of 4 Tour de France stage victories during his active years. The Faces from the peloton category is focusing on cyclists well known from vintage cycling images. MORE TOUR DE FRANCE FROM THE 1920S [su_posts posts_per_page=”7″ tax_term=”454″ order=”desc”]

Iconic cycling images and iconic cycling places: Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor on the Puy de Dôme in 1964

Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor on the Puy de Dôme

According to the latest rumors, Tour de France will return to Puy de Dôme in 2023. Tour de France visited Puy de Dôme last time in 1988. Since the construction of a track railway and due to the very narrow road, it was told for many many years, that the return of the race to this iconic place is almost impossible. Now, it looks like, the impossible is going to be possible in next July. The iconic picture of Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor was taken on the 20th stage in 1964. Before the stage, Jacques Anquetil led the general classification with 56″ ahead of Raymond Poulidor, meanwhile third placed Federico Bahamontes was aready more… Read More »Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor on the Puy de Dôme

Cyclists from the 1920s Gustaaf van Slembrouck

Faces from the peloton: Gustaaf Van Slembrouck

Learn a bit more about the protagonists of vintage cycling images — that’s the purpose of the category Faces from the peloton. The Belgian cyclist Gustaaf Van Slembrouck (1902-1968) was a professional rider between 1926 and 1932. The first year of his professional career was the most successful: he wore the yellow jersey for 6 days at the Tour de France. Also, he finished Paris-Roubaix 2nd that year. Van Slembrouck had a total of 4 Tour de France stage victories during his active years. But he is most famous of being one of the four riders on the famous smoking cyclists image from the 1920s.   MORE FACES FROM THE PELOTON [su_posts posts_per_page=”7″ tax_term=”671″ order=”desc”]

Tadej Pogacar during the famous onsividual time trial at the Tour de France 2020

19 September 2020 -Tadej Pogacar takes the yellow jersey at TDF 2020

Who said cycling races in the 21th century can’t produce epic historic moments? On the 19th September 2020 Tadej Pogacar managed to turn the tide and take the yellow jersey on a sensational individual time trial up to La Planche des Belles Filles. MORE 21TH CENTURY TDF HISTORY ON PELOTONTALES[su_posts posts_per_page=”7″ tax_term=”729″ order=”desc”]

iconic vintage cycling image 1911

From the youngest Tour de France winner to the cyclist with glass eye

Record holder Vuelta a Espana stage winners, fan favourite vintage cycling images, cycling fun facts, unique stories and great personalities. Take a look at the latest updates on PelotonTales blog. Every website has small, but recurring costs. If you like to read the posts on PelotonTales blog and would like to help to maintain the page, you can help with a small (one-time) donation via PayPal. All money will be used to cover the costs of the website. Thank you for your support!  So, what’s new on PelotonTales? Have you heard about Delio Rodríguez, the cyclist who has won 12 of the 21 stages at Vuelta a Espana? Nevertheless, the Spanish grand tour was in… Read More »From the youngest Tour de France winner to the cyclist with glass eye

Henri Cornet, the younges Tour de France winner ever

Tour de France winners: Henri Cornet (1904)

Henri Cornet (1884-1941), the youngest Tour de France winner ever, had a quite short list of  triumphs. Indeed, besides winning the most famous cycling race, his other big success was his victory at Paris-Roubaix in 1906. Actually Cornet wasn’t the best rider on the roads at the Tour France in 1904. It was Maurice Garin, the winner of the first edition. But the second Tour de France was marred by cheating scandals, and the first four riders of the general classification (Maurice Garin, Lucien Pothier, César Garin, Hippolyte Aucouturier) were disqualified. PLEASE, SUPPORT PELOTONTALES!  If you like PelotonTales blog and want to help me a little to continue the work on this website, please consider… Read More »Tour de France winners: Henri Cornet (1904)

Maurice Garin the winner of the first Tour de France

Tour de France winners: Maurice Garin (1903)

Maurice Garin (1871-1957), the winner of the first Tour de France became a professional cyclist only accidentally. Garin was racing as amateur already (he won his first race in 1893), when he decided to start at a race near to his hometown. He learned only at the start of the race, that this was an event for professionals. He waited till the pro riders departed, rode after them and won the race. Since the organisers refused to pay him the prize money, the spectators raised the double sum of the original prize. When the first Tour de France was held, Maurice Garin was already a star working with a professional crew. It was their job… Read More »Tour de France winners: Maurice Garin (1903)

Vintage cycling picture of the day: ‘The Acrobat’ cyclist

French cyclist Jules Deloffre (1885-1963) earned his nickname ‘The Acrobat’ (L’Acrobate) through his acrobatic performances after Tour de France stages. Especially during the last few years of his career, when he was over 40 years old aready and wasn’t in the shape to expect serious race results, he was motivated rather by the opportunity to entertain the audience after riding 300 km or more. Nevertheless, he had plenty of occasions to show his acrobatic skills in front of the public, since  he attented the famous French race between 1908 and 1928 a total of 14 times. But he completed only 7, and his best result was a 12th place in the general classification. Already his… Read More »Vintage cycling picture of the day: ‘The Acrobat’ cyclist