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

Ocaña and Zoetemelk doubled on the top of Puy de Dôme

Lucien van Impe and Joop Zoetemelk on the Puy de Dome Tour de France 1976

Between 1952 and 1988 Puy de Dôme was included into the program of Tour de France 13 times. Among the winners on the top are Fausto Coppi, Felice Gimondi, Federico Bahamontes  Lucien van Impe, Luis Ocaña or Joop Zoetemelk. In fact, the two latter are those riders, who were able to win a Puy de … Read more

Puy de Dôme first time at the Tour de France (1952)

Fausto Coppi at the Tour de France 1952

1952 was an extraordinary year in the history of Tour de France, not only because the terrific performance of Fausto Coppi. But also, it was the first time, when a Tour de France stage ended on the top of the ascent: this was the legendary debut of Alpe d’Huez. The program of the 39th Tour de … Read more

Puy de Dôme 1964 – when Raymond Poulidor was the closest to win Tour de France

Raymond Poulidor and Jacques Anquetil on the Puy de Dôme, Tour de France 1964

The world of road cycling sometimes loves the second placed riders more than the winners. It’s especially the case of French cyclist, “The Eternal Second”, Raymond Poulidor (1936-2019), who rode Tour de France 14 times, he completed 12 of them, finished second of the general classification 3 times, and third 5 times. But he never … Read more

Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor on the Puy de Dôme

Iconic cycling images and iconic cycling places: Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor on the Puy de Dôme in 1964

According to the latest rumors, Tour de France will return to Puy de Dôme in 2023. Tour de France visited Puy de Dôme last time in 1988. Since the construction of a track railway and due to the very narrow road, it was told for many many years, that the return of the race to … Read more