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Home » Fernando Manzaneque on the Col d’Iseran (Tour de France 1963)

Fernando Manzaneque on the Col d’Iseran (Tour de France 1963)

Fernando Manzaneque on the Col d'Iseran at the 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 de Fer and Col d'Iseran.

Snow on the Col d'Iseran in 1963, while Fernando Manzaneque wins the stage.
Fernando Manzaneque (Tour de France 1963)

The Spaniard Fernando Manzaneque won the stage ahead of Enzo Fontona and Guy Epaud.

The stages in the Alps in that year delivered and epic battle between Federico Bahamontes and Jacques Anquetil. The French rider has already won Vuelta a Espana a few weeks earlier and was about to win his 4th Tour de France. His Vuelta-Tour double was the first in cycling history. 

Snow on the Col d'Iseran caused problems also in 1996, and the stage between Le Monêtier-les-Bains and Sestriére was shortened.

In 2019,  Egan Bernal was the first rider on the top, but shortly after,while the cyclists rode downhill, the race was neutralised. That stage was chaotic due to the snow too.

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