Road cycling is not a winter sport. But sometimes -especially in the high mountains – winter visits road cycling events in the form of snow.
Images of cyclists struggling through the snow are usually fit into the narrativa of road cycling races being heroic and epic. Fausto Coppi, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and all the other great legends are capture at least one time during their careers in heroic moment in snow.
Let see some of those epic moments.
Charly Gaul on Monte Bondone (Giro d’Italia 1956)
Race director Vincenzo Torriani was asked to cancel the stage due to the rough weather conditions were forecasted. But he declined it, he may have thought, this could make the unexciting race exciting again.
It was a cold and rainy day, the riders were unprepared for the extreme weather conditions. The race director was asked again to finish the race earlier, at least a bit earlier than the original plan.
Soon snow started to fall and the temperatures dropped. 60 riders abandoned the race, meanwhile stage winner Charly Gaul jumped from 11th to 1st in the general classification. He was in better condition than the most of the peloton (probably due to the large dose of amphetamines, which helped him to survive the extreme cold), but still he had to be lifted off his bike and his frozen jersey cut off him.
Fernando Manzaneque on Col d’Iseran (Tour de France 1963)
Fausto Coppi on Stelvio (Giro d’Italia 1952)
This was the year, when Stelvio was introduced to Giro d’Italia.
Bernard Hinault at Liège-Bsstogne-Liège 1980
The race was held on the 20th April 1980. It started already in a raging snow storm. After two hours of riding only 60 (from 174) riders were still in the race.
Bernard Hinault was leading a chasing trio (the other riders were Silvano Contini and Henk Lubberdink) to catch the duo Rudy Pevenage and Ludo Peetersat at the front. After they completed the mission, Hinault attacked and went solo with 80 km to go. He spent more than seven hours in the saddle, won his second Liège-Bastogne-Liège 10 minutes ahead of Hennie Kuiper.
At the end, only 21 riders finished the race.
MORE CYCLING IN EXTREME WEATHER ON PELOTONTALES
Bernard Hinault’s epic solo ride in the snow (Liège-Bastogne-Liège 1980)
On the afternoon of the 20th April 1980, while a little girl, called Anita Pethő ( the author of PelotonTales blog) was born in a small town in North-West Hungary, on the other part of Europe, in Belgium, Bernard Hinault delivered one of the most iconic victories in the history of the Monuments. Snow can … Read more
Only four riders finished the thoughest Milano-Sanremo edition
Heavy snowfall often determinates the outcome of a road cycling race during early springtime. But even among the stories about the heroic efforts of struggling through the otherwise beautiful white obstacle the 4th edition of Milano-Sanremo (held on 4th April 1910) has its own legendary place. This was the race that only four riders finished. … Read more
Fernando Manzaneque on the Col d’Iseran (Tour de France 1963)
Snow at the Tour de France? Yes, it happens sometimes, especially, when the race visits such high places like Col d’Iseran in the Alps. In the 16th stage of Tour de France 1963, the peloton visited the Alps. It was a 202 km long stage between Grenoble and Val d’Isere, including Col de la Croix … Read more
Snow at Tour de France 1923
Snow at Tour de France is quite rare, but not impossible, as the image of Hector Heusghem at Tour de France 1923 proves. Belgian cyclist Hector Heusghem (1890-1982) was active as professional cyclist between 1912 and 1925. His best result at Tour de France was 2nd position both in 1920 and 1921. In 1922 he … Read more
Charly Gaul on the Monte Bondone (Giro d’Italia 1956)
Cycling in extreme weather: Charly Gaul on the famous stage 20 up to Monte Bondone at the Giro d’Italia 1956 Race director Vincenzo Torriani was asked to cancel the stage due to the rough weather conditions were forecasted. But he declined it, he may have thought, this could make the unexciting race exciting again. … Read more
Pouring rain at the Tour de France 1936
The first stage of Tour de France in 1936 run in pouring rain.
Aldo Moser on the Stelvio (Giro d’Italia 1965)
Passo dello Stelvio (Stelvio Pass) is a 2757 m high pass in the Alps. The ascent was introduced to the Giro d’Italia in 1953. That stage was won by Fausto Coppi