The cyclist, who is mostly remembered by being poisoned at the Tour de France in 1911.
Paul Duboc (1884-1941) competed as a professional rider between 1907 and 1927. He won 5 Tour de France stages (one in 1909 and four in 1911) his best result in the general classification was a 2nd place.
In 1909 he won the Tour of Belgium.
The ominous case with the poisoning happened at the Tour de France in 1911. Duboc was in great shape, he was considered the biggest favourite of the race. On the 10th stage in the Pyrenees, while leading the race with several minutes, he collapsed and started vomiting.
The trouble was caused by a bottle he received in the mountains. Most likely François Lafourcade stood behind the poisoning attempt. But the fans accused the overal race leader and later Tour de France winner Gustave Garrigou,who had to ride in disguise, when the race passed by Duboc’s hometown.
Duboc himself was once disqualified from the race. In 1919, after a crash he received the illegal help of a car.
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