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Vintage cycling image of the day

Cyclists crossing the finish line together on the last stage of Tour de France 1938

André Leducq and Antonin Magne crossing the finish line together (Tour de France 1938)

Before Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault on the top of Alpe d’Huez, there were André Leducq and Antonin Magne in Paris. Two dominant French riders from the first part of the 1930s, both Leducq (1930 and 1932) and Magne (1931 and 1934) won the Tour de France twice. In the very last stage of Tour de France 1938, the last edition for both cyclists to ride, they broke away from the peloton and reached the Parc des Princes (Paris)   velodrome, the traditional finish of the race since 1903, together. They crissed the finish line side by side. Both of them were declared the winner of the stage. This was André Leducq’s  25th Tour de France stage… Read More »André Leducq and Antonin Magne crossing the finish line together (Tour de France 1938)

Belgian cyclist Hector Heusghem is refreshing himself with snow at the Tiur de France in 1923

Snow at Tour de France 1923

Snow at Tour de France is quite rare, but not impossible, as the image of Hector Heusghem at Tour de France 1923 proves. Belgian cyclist Hector Heusghem (1890-1982) was active as professional cyclist between 1912 and 1925. His best result at Tour de France was 2nd  position both in 1920 and 1921. In 1922 he took the yellow jersey  with 3 stage to go, but lost his led in the general classification after receiving a one-hour penality. MORE TOUR DE FRANCE IN THE 1920 [su_posts posts_per_page=”7″ tax_term=”454″ order=”desc”]

Fedrico Bahamontes solo on the Galibier on the 19th stage of Tour de France 1954

Federico Bahamontes on the Galibier (Tour de France 1954)

Federico Bahamontes rode Tour de France for the very first time in 1954. Of course, the real race for him started in the Pyrenees. On the 12th stage, which included Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde, he arrived at the finish with Jean Malléjac and Gilbert Bauvin, who won the stage with 1 sec ahead of Bahamontes, and claimed the yellow jersey. Bahamontes was already active on the previous stage (including Aubisque), he collected enough mountain points to lead the KOM competition. On the 17th stage, on the top of the Romeyere in the Alps, he had to wait for his team car, because he didn’t dare to start the descent with a battered wheel. While he… Read More »Federico Bahamontes on the Galibier (Tour de France 1954)

Cyclists rolling out of the city of Amsterdam at Tour de France 1954

Grand Depart in Amsterdam (Tour de France 1954)

Although Tour de France visited neighbour contries already during the early years of its history frequently, the first international start (grand depart) of the race happened only in 1954. Amsterdam had the privilege to host the start of the event. The 216 km long first stage of Tour de France 1954 between Amsterdam and Brasshaat was won by Wout Wagtmans. Tour de France 2024 will start in Florence on 29 Juny 2024. This will be the very first time the grand depart will take place in Italy. For this unique occasion, PelotonTales blog will focus a vit more on the topic Tour de France abroad.

Felicien Vervaecke Tourmalet Tour de France 1936

Felicien Vervaecke’s bad luck (Tour de France 1936)

A  Tour de France stage in the Pyrenees (especially, when it includes the big four, Peyresourde, Auspin, Aubisque and Tourmalet) always provides stories to tell. Belgian rider Felicien Vervaecke won the mountain competition of Tour de France twice, in 1935 and 1937. Before the 16th stage (Peyresourde, Tourmalet, Aspin, Aubisque) in 1936, he was 4 minutes behind his teammate Sylvère Maes in the GC. But bad luck prevented him to maintain this position. First his bicycle broke, and he had to convince a spectator to lend his. Then he suffered a flat tire, and Tour officials forced him to wait for the reserve car. Antonin Magne, the actual third in the GC passed him. When… Read More »Felicien Vervaecke’s bad luck (Tour de France 1936)

Bernard Hinault eats Wladimiro Panizza's food at Giro d'Italia 1980

Bernard Hinault and Wladimiro Panizza (Giro d’Italia 1980)

Although this picture suggests it differently, but Bernard Hinault and Wladimiro Panizza were the two big rivals at the Giro d’Italia in 1980. Hinault finished first (this was his first of a total of three Giro-victories),  and behind him with 5 min 43 sec, Panizza second. Actually the Italian rider wore the pink jersey for a couple days. Bernard Hinault is quite well known for most of the cycling fans, but who was Panizza? Wladimir Panizza (1945-2002) was a professial cyclist between 1967 and 1985. Usually raced as domestique for Felice Gimondi or Franco Bitossi, but he reached the peak of his career in 1980, when managed to finish Giro d’Italia 2nd behind Bernard Hinault.… Read More »Bernard Hinault and Wladimiro Panizza (Giro d’Italia 1980)

A waitress is smilong in the camera, while Tour de France winner Jean Robic eat some lobster before the 4th stage at Tour de France 1951

A lunch before the race (Jean Robic, Tour de France 1951)

Jean Robic, winner of Tour de France 1947, was one of the most important cyclists of the post 2nd world war era. Of course, he was racing in the shadow of the giants, Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali, but after all, he managed to win a Tour de France and also several stages. In many cases, like during climbig Alpe d’Huez for the first time in 1952, he was the only one who could go with Coppi for a while. Because he gained the leading position of the overal classification in the last stage of Tour de France 1947, he is one of the two riders in the history of the race since the introdution… Read More »A lunch before the race (Jean Robic, Tour de France 1951)

Vintage cycling image of the day: Frederico Bahamontes cresses Tourmalet at Tour de France 1954

Vintage cycling image of the day: Federico Bahamontes on Tourmalet (Tour de France 1954)

Federico Bahamontes competed at Tour de France for the first time in 1954. He was picked for the race by Julián Berredero, the director of the Spanish team already during previous summer. The 161 km long 12th stage of Tour de France 1954 between Pau and Luchon visited Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde. As usual, all the three were mid-stage ascents. And it was one of the firts big challenge for the young Spaniard. He managed to arrive in the finish with Jean Malléjac and Gilbert Bauvin (the latter won the stage and claimed the yellow jersey), and became 2nd that day. The 161 km long 12th stage of Tour de France 1954 between Pau and… Read More »Vintage cycling image of the day: Federico Bahamontes on Tourmalet (Tour de France 1954)

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

Bartali and Coppi together in the Dolomites (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 very talented young teammate, the 20 years old Fausto Coppi, who took the first place in the general classification in the 11th stage.

Maurice Diot and Fausto Coppi (Paris-Roubaix 1950)

Fausto Coppi rode Paris-Roubaix 5 times (1949, 1950, 1952, 1955 and 1959), only one time (1950) managed to win the famous Hell of the North. Maurice Diot, the other cyclist on the picture finished second. After he arrived, he said: I won Paris-Roubaix today. Coppi was competing on a higher level.1 Indeed, Fausto Coppi delivered a spectacular performance. Firts he tested his rivals for a bit, then allow them to rejoin. Then Gino Sciardis and Maurice Diot formed a new leading duo. Coppi, near to the feed station of Arras, rode to the front of the peloton as he would collect his musette, but slyly he rode away and joined the duo at the front. … Read More »Maurice Diot and Fausto Coppi (Paris-Roubaix 1950)