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Felicien Vervaecke’s bad luck (Tour de France 1936)

Felicien Vervaecke Tourmalet Tour de France 1936

Tour de France stage in the Pyrenees (especially, when it includes the big four, Peyresourde, Auspin, Aubisque and Tourmalet) always provides stories to tell.

Felicien Felicien Vervaecke surrounded by cycling fans on Tourmalet at the Tour de France 1936.

Belgian rider Felicien Vervaecke won the mountain competition of Tour de France twice, in 1935 and 1937.

Before the 16th stage (Peyresourde, Tourmalet, Aspin, Aubisque) in 1936, he was 4 minutes behind his teammate Sylvère Maes in the GC. But bad luck prevented him to maintain this position.

First his bicycle broke, and he had to convince a spectator to lend his. Then he suffered a flat tire, and Tour officials forced him to wait for the reserve car. Antonin Magne, the actual third in the GC passed him. When Vervaecke got his tire, he was able to re-join Magne. He finished the stage 18 sec behind his rival.

But both  riders were penalized by the jury for receiving illegal food. Vervaecke got 10 minutes, Magne only 5 minutes. Vervaecke dropped to the 3rd position of the general classification.


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Felicien Vervaecke Tourmalet Tour de France 1936

Felicien Vervaecke’s bad luck (Tour de France 1936)

A  Tour de France stage in the Pyrenees (especially, when it includes the big four, Peyresourde, Auspin, Aubisque and Tourmalet) always provides stories to tell. Belgian rider Felicien Vervaecke won the mountain competition of Tour de France twice, in 1935 and 1937. Before the 16th stage (Peyresourde, Tourmalet, Aspin, Aubisque) in 1936, he was 4… Read More »Felicien Vervaecke’s bad luck (Tour de France 1936)

Black and white picture about Octave Lapize, a sole cyclist, on foot, cresses the Tourmalet while teo other people watching him.

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French cyclist Antonin Magne is about to start his first imdividual time trial at the Tour de France in 1934

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Theo Middelkamp (1914-2005), the first Dutch cyclist to win a Tour de Frsnce stage posing with fans in 1936

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Mountain stage in the Pyrenees with the favourites, i cluding Louison Bobet at Tour de France 1954

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Part of the peloton as the cyclists rolling out from Paris during the first stage of Tour de France 1932

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