Federico Bahamontes at the train station (1960)

Although the first ever Italian Grand Depart of Tour de France will take place in 2024, the race visited Italy for plenty of times, usually during mountain stages in the Alps. Turin is one of the most visited Italian cities by Tour de France.  In 1956, peloton made a trip to the place in 17th… Read More »Tour de France visits Turin (Tour de France 1956)

Federico Bahamontes rode Tour de France for the very first time in 1954. Of course, the real race for him started in the Pyrenees. On the 12th stage, which included Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde, he arrived at the finish with Jean Malléjac and Gilbert Bauvin, who won the stage with 1 sec ahead of Bahamontes,… Read More »Federico Bahamontes on the Galibier (Tour de France 1954)

Federico Bahamontes competed at Tour de France for the first time in 1954. He was picked for the race by Julián Berredero, the director of the Spanish team already during previous summer. The 161 km long 12th stage of Tour de France 1954 between Pau and Luchon visited Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde. As usual, all… Read More »Vintage cycling image of the day: Federico Bahamontes on Tourmalet (Tour de France 1954)

Between 1952 and 1988 Puy de Dôme was included into the program of Tour de France 13 times. Among the winners on the top are Fausto Coppi, Felice Gimondi, Federico Bahamontes  Lucien van Impe, Luis Ocaña or Joop Zoetemelk. In fact, the two latter are those riders, who were able to win a Puy de… Read More »Ocaña and Zoetemelk doubled on the top of Puy de Dôme

Federico Bahamontes rode Tour de France for the very first time in 1954. He was picked for the Tour 1954 by Julián Berredero, the director of the Spanish team (and King of the Mountains 1936) in previous summer already. The real race for Bahamontes started in the Pyrenees.  On the 12th stage, which included Tourmalet,… Read More »Federico Bahamontes on the Galibier (Tour de France 1954)

The 1949 Tour de France marked a high point in the legendary rivalry between two Italian cycling icons, Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi. Bartali had already claimed two Tour victories (1938 and 1948), while Coppi, though a three-time Giro d’Italia champion (1940, 1947, 1949), was making his Tour debut. Determined to make history, Coppi aimed… Read More »Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali during Tour de France 1949

Fausto Coppi was the first rider to win the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France in the same year (1949) In 2024, 26 years after Marco Pantani’s double victory, Tadej Pogacar managed to win both Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in the same year. The list of the riders Fausto Coppi (ITA) 1949… Read More »Giro d’ Italia -Tour de France doubles

Thank you for being a devoted reader of PelotonTales. You are the reason why it’s worth spending so many hours to create new content and trying to improve this website. If you would show appreciation to my work, please consider supporting the blog with a small donation. Thank you! Due to the system of  how… Read More »18 July 1949 – The epic breakaway of Coppi and Bartali

The 171 km long stage between Portocivitanova and L’Aquila is sometimes called the 6th, sometimes the 7th stage of Giro d’Italia 1935 in cycling history books, depending on how you count the two half stages on the previous day.But one thing is certain. The Giro d’Italia stage was held on 24 May 1935 witnessedthe first… Read More »24 May 1935 Gino Bartali’s first stage victory at Giro d’Italia

Tour de France 2023 presented a great gift for every road cycling history fans: after 35 years Puy de Dôme was reintroduced to the race. Although the 9th stage of Tour de France 2023 was only the 14th appearance of the ascent, it became one of the most iconic places in the history road cycling… Read More »Iconic Tour de France places: Puy de Dôme