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Tour de France in the Alps

Miguel Angel Lopez on the Col de la Loze,Tour de France 2020 Stage 17. A.S.O Ashley Gruber Jered Gruber

Miguel Angel Lopez conquers Col de la Loze (Tour de France retrospective -TDF 2020)

Col de la Loze was introduced to Tour de France in the 17th stage in 2020. The day delivered a Pog&Rog Show, a Lopez solo and a suddenly disappearing Bahrain-McLaren “suicide squad”. The 2 minutes gap between the three breakaway riders (Julian Alaphilippe, Richard Carapaz, Gorka Izagirre) and the peloton at foot of the 21 km long Col de la Loze indicated that the winner of the stage would come from the main bunch.   Although Primoz Roglic was the cyclist in yellow, and according to tradition, his team, Jumbo-Visma was ment to lead the peloton,  Bahrain-McLaren was setting the pace since half way of the stage. They tried to make Mikel Landa the first… Read More »Miguel Angel Lopez conquers Col de la Loze (Tour de France retrospective -TDF 2020)

20 July 1986 Tour de France visits Col du Granon

The 190 km long stage between Gap and Serre Chevalier included Col du Vars, Col d’Izoard and it was the first time the race visited Col du Granon. Before the stage  Bernard Hinault (La Vie Claire) led the general classification, but he dropped on the Col d’Izoard. He was suffering from an old knee injury. After the stage Tour de France had a new leader:  Greg LeMond (Bernard Hinault’s teammate), who became not only the first American rider to wear the yellow jersey but also won the race. The stage was won by Eduardo Chozas. <

19 July 1977 Lucien Van Impe ‘s crash on Alpe d’Huez

Thank you for being a devoted reader of PelotonTales. You are the reason why it’s worth spending so many hours to create new content and trying to improve this website. If you would show appreciation to my work, please consider supporting the blog with a small donation. Thank you! One of the oddest images from the history of Tour de France pictures Lucien Van Impe after the crash with a motobike on Alpe d’Huez on 19th July 1977.

Spanish cyclist Fernando Manzaneque ridong among snowwalls during Tour de France 1963

9 July 1963 – Fernando Manzaneque’s stage victory in the Alps

Fernando Manzaneque’s victory in the 16th stage of Tour de France 1963 isn’t intirguing because of some relation to the overall competition, but because it happened among rather extraordinary circumstances. Snow at the Tour de France is rare, but not impossible. During the 120 years of Tour de France history it happened a few times. For example, in 1996 organizers had to shorten the stage including Iseran for this very reason. On 9 July 1963 the peloton of Tour de France started the day in Grenoble and finished in Val d’Isere. Between the two towns cyclists had to climb Croix de Fer and Iseran. Manzaneque finished the stage 5 minutes and 3 seconds ahead of… Read More »9 July 1963 – Fernando Manzaneque’s stage victory in the Alps

Bjarne Riis wins a shortened, 46 km long stage in the Alps at Tour de France 1996

8 July 1996 Bjarne Riis wins a shortened stage in the Alps

Road cycling is an outdoor sport, obviously, and weather conditions can cause somet8mes trouble even at events with big prestige like Tour de France. This happened in the 9th stage in 1996. The day started in Le-Monétier-les-Bains, the route was originally 176 km long. But due to the over 100km/h strong wind it must have been shortened so seriously, that the riders had to ride only 46 km. Col d’Iseran and Galibier were scrapped from the program. The peloton had to climb only Montgenévre amd the final ascent up to Sestriere. Before the stage Evegeni Berzin led the general classification. After this short workday in the saddle Bjarne Riis,the most agressive rider from the start,… Read More »8 July 1996 Bjarne Riis wins a shortened stage in the Alps

Climbing Col d’Allos at Tour de France 1914 -Vintage cycling image of the day

Tour de France 1914 started on the same day, 28th June, as the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg  were assassinated in Sarajevo. When the riders lined up in the middle of the nigh for the start of the first stage in Paris, they knew nothing about that this day would determinate the life of millions worldwide. They did not know either, that on 28th July, just two days after they finished the Tour de France, the Great War would break out and some of the cyclists would lose their life during the fights, including François Faber, who is among the three riders depicted on this image. The Alps were… Read More »Climbing Col d’Allos at Tour de France 1914 -Vintage cycling image of the day

Fernando Manzaneque on the Col d'Iseran at the Tour de France 1963

Fernando Manzaneque on the Col d’Iseran (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. 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.… Read More »Fernando Manzaneque on the Col d’Iseran (Tour de France 1963)

Federico Bahamontes Stan Ockers, and Roger Walkowiak in the 17th stage of Tour de France 1956

Tour de France visits Turin (Tour de France 1956)

Although the first ever Italian Grand Depart of Tour de France will take place in 2024, the race visited Italy for plenty of times, usually during mountain stages in the Alps. Turin is one of the most visited Italian cities by Tour de France.  In 1956, peloton made a trip to the place in 17th stage, and the next day went back to France. Though the Alps, of course. Meanwhile, Tour de France history, (sort of)  was made. Roger Walkowiak, the French rider, with no other success during his career, took the yellow jersey, and a few days later won the Tour de France. His triumph is often dubbed as “the less deserved victory” in… Read More »Tour de France visits Turin (Tour de France 1956)

Legenday Tour de France mountian Alpe d'Huez first hilltop finish 1952 Fausto Coppi and Jean Robic riding together

Alpe d’Huez, the instant classic

There is a simple reason, why Alpe d’Huez was introduced to the Tour de France only in 1952, while the race visited the Alps since 1911 frequently: there is only one way up to the top, hence the stage must be finished there. But the concept of a hilltop finish wasn’t born yet. Indeed, the 10th stage in 1952, finishing on Alpe d’Huez was the first time in the history of Tour de France, when the riders crossed the finish line on the top of a climb and not in a town in a valley nearby. Thanks to the new experience, both for the riders and the audience, Alpe d’Huez became a big hit instantly.… Read More »Alpe d’Huez, the instant classic

Ferdinand Moulet and Georges Cuvelier on the Col d'Allos at Tour de France 1927

Col d’Allos at Tour de France

Col d’Allos was part of the program of Tour de France since the race visited the Alps for the very first time in 1911. Especially during the 1920s and the 1930s was very popular. In the second half of the 20th century it was used muvh more rarely. 1911: François Faber 1912:  Octave Lapize 1913:  Lucien Petit-Breton 1914: Firmin Lambot and Henri Pélissier 1919: Honoré Barthélémy 1920: Firmin Lambot 1921: Hector Heusghem and Honoré Barthélémy 1922: Jean Alavoine 1923:  Henri Pélissier 1924: Nicolas Frantz 1925: Auguste Verdyck 1926: Lucien Buysse 1927: Nicolas Frantz1 928: Nicolas Frantz 1929: Joseph Demuysere 1930: Benoit Faure 1931: Joseph Demuysere 1932: Benoit Faure 1933:  Fernand Fayolle 1934:  René Vietto 1935:… Read More »Col d’Allos at Tour de France