Col d'Izoard was introduced to Tour de France in 1922. It seems to have been the new favourite of the organizers, they put it in the program also in the next 5 years. (And it is still one of the most used ascent in the history of Tour de France)
Ottavio Bottecchia might have been a surprise newcomer in 1923, when he finished second behind his teammate Henri Pelissier, but his overall victory in the subsequent year, especially the fact, that he was the first cyclist to wear the yellow jersey during the entire race from the very beginning, made him the biggest favourite of Tour de France 1925.
Bottecchia started strong in that year either, but for a few days Adelin Benoït took over the lead in feneral classification. He even won a hard stage including. Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde. But in the 9th stage, another hard day in the Pyrenees, he dropped, and
Bottecchia jumped in the first position again.
And he never gave it away. He won his second Tour de France.
The 13th stage, including Allos, Vars, and Izoard, was held on the 9th July 1925, went from Nice to Briançon. (Don't forget, before 1952, when Alpe d'Huez was introduced to the race, there was no hilltop finish, not even in the Alps or Pyrenees). Bartolomeo Aymo won the stage, Ottavio Bottecchia finished second. In the general classification he was more than 20 minutes ahead of Nicolas Franz. When Frantz dropped in the next stage (Galibier, Aravis including) the gap between Bottecchia and the new second in GC, Aymo was almos one hour.
Ottavio Bottecchia came back to Tour de France again in 1926, but he had to abandon the race in the hardest stage of Tour de France ever.
Tragically, he never had the opportunity to compete Tour de France again. He was attacked and seriously beaten during training on 3rd June 1927. He died in the hospital two weeks later.
Although there are several theories what happened to him exactly (f. e. who killed him), the whole truth about his dead was never clarified.
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