Octave Lapize

Tour de France winners died in the First World War

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Francoise Faber, Octave Lapize, Lucien Petit-Breton, Tour de France winners, who lost their life in the First World War

As in almost every part of European life, also in the world of cycling races World War I was a significant watershed. Not only the naivity of some athletes ((who thought previously, that fighting on the battlefield would be the same like competing at the Olympics  – read more about it in Graham Healy:The Shattered … Read more

5 facts about Tour de France 1910

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French cyclist Octave Lapize, overall winner of the race climbing the Tourmalet at Tour de France 1910

The mighty ascents of the Pyrenees, including Col du Tourmalet were introduced to the race. The broom wagon, picking up the cyclists who abandoned the race, was introduced too. In the tenth stage, over the four mountains in the Pyrenees, cyclists were allowed to finish the stage in the broom wagon and still start the … Read more

Octave Lapize, the first three-time Paris-Roubaix champion

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Every road cycling fan knows the name Octave Lapize, the rider who crossed Tourmalet first at the Tour de France in 1910. His memorial is on the top of the ascent. Lapize also won that year’s Tour de France. But, although he was  rather considered a climber, he was good also at the Paris-Roubaix. Actually, he … Read more

The slowest Tour de France ever

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Firmin Lambot, the winner of the Tour de France 1919

The slowest Tour de France in history was the 13th edition between 29th June and 27 July in 1919. The race included 5560 km, divided into 15 stages. This was the second longest Tour de France in history. Due to the recent war times (World War I between 1914 and 1918) most of the riders … Read more