Puy de Dôme (Iconic places #2)

Puy de Dôme Tour de France

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

Bartali and Coppi together in the Dolomites (Giro d’Italia 1940)

Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi on the Passo Pordoi at the Giro d'Italia 1940

Vitange cycling  image of the day on PelotonTales: Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi in the Dolomites at Giro d’Italia 1940. Before Giro d’Italia 1940, Gino Bartali was already two-time Giro d’Italia (1936, 1937) and one-time Tour de France (1938) winner. He was the leader of the Legnano team in 1940, but had an ambicious and … Read more

Tour de France 1949

The 36th Tour de France was held between 20 June and 24 July 1949.  The route was divided into 21 stages and included 4808 km. This was the first time the race visited Spain (9th stage). They also took a trip to Belgium and Italy. The Tour de France in 1949 was one of the … Read more

Louison Bobet’s Giro di Lombardia Victory (1951)

Louison Bobet and Fausto Coppi Giro di Lombardia 1951

Although Louison Bobet is remembered mostly by his three consecutive Tour de France victories (1953, 1954, 1955), he also had some success in the world of one day races. Actually, Louison Bobet won four of the five monuments, he missed only the triumph at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Nevertheless, he attended La Doyenne three times, his best result … Read more

Giro d’Italia fun facts: Most days in the pink jersey

Legendary Belgian Cyclist Eddy Merckx spent the most day in pink jersey (maglia rosa)

The pink jersey was introduced to the Giro d’Italia during the race in 1931. The first wearer was Learco Guerra (nickname: “The Human Locomotive”).

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Cycling Who’s Who: Jacques Marinelli

Jacques Marinelli was born on the 15th December of 1925 in Blanc-Mesnil, France.  He was a professional rider between 1948 and 1955. He rode the Tour de France six times between 1948 and 1954, his most successful year was 1949 when he was wearing the yellow jersey for six days. That Tour de France was … Read more

Tour de France 1951

Tour de France 1951 Tourmalet Fausto Coppi Hugo Koblet,

The 38th Tour de France between 4th and 29th July 1951 was the first edition which visited the interior of France, most importantly the Massif Central and the Mont Ventoux.

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The humble domestique gets in trouble

Fausto Coppi & Andrea Carrera

The Tour de France in 1952 was all about Fausto Coppi. The Campionissimo dominated the race to such an extent, that the organizers had to double the prize money for the second place to make the competition less boring. But Coppi took the yellow jersey only after his triumph on Alpe d’Huez.  On the day, … Read more

7 July 1949 Fausto Coppi’s First TDF- Stage Victory

Fausto Coppi 1949 Tourmalet

It was a 92 km long individual time trial between Les Sables-d’Olonne and La Rochelle. It took Coppi 2hr 18min 10sec to finish it. He won the race ahead of Ferdy Kübler with 1 min and 32 sec. (Lead pic: Fausto Coppi on the Tourmalet on the 11th stage of Tour de France 1949)