Tour de France’s first visit in the Alps (1911)
The history of the Tour de France is filled with monumental stages and dramatic moments that have shaped the race into the iconic event it… Read More »Tour de France’s first visit in the Alps (1911)
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Road cycling before World War 1
Eugène Christophe, the unluckiest cyclist ever
In the world of professional cycling, few names are as synonymous with misfortune as Eugène Christophe. His legacy is defined not by victories but by… Read More »Eugène Christophe, the unluckiest cyclist ever
5 little facts about 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… Read More »5 little facts about Tour de France 1910
The cyclist who won Tour de France but gambled away the entire prize money
Louis Trousselier (1881-1939), the charismatic winner of the 3rd Tour de France in 1905, had a life story as colorful as his cycling career. Known… Read More »The cyclist who won Tour de France but gambled away the entire prize money
The story of the first Milano-Sanremo (1907)
The creation of the Milano-Sanremo, one of the most famous and historic cycling races in the world, can be traced back to a partnership with… Read More »The story of the first Milano-Sanremo (1907)
When Octave Lapize called the Tour de France organizers “murderers”
In 1910, Henri Desgrange, the Tour’s founder and director, decided to introduce mountain stages into the race to make it even more challenging. The Pyrenean… Read More »When Octave Lapize called the Tour de France organizers “murderers”
Faces from the peloton: Paul Duboc (1884-1941)
The cyclist, who is mostly remembered by being poisoned at the Tour de France in 1911. A professional cyclist from 1907 to 1927, Paul Duboc… Read More »Faces from the peloton: Paul Duboc (1884-1941)
Faces from the peloton: Cyrille Van Hauwaert
Cyrille Van Hauwaert (1883-1974) was one of the most successful Belgian cyclists of the pre-WWI era. Van Hauwaert’s story reads like a folk legend. A… Read More »Faces from the peloton: Cyrille Van Hauwaert
The cheating scandal of Tour de France 1904
The inaugural Tour de France in 1903 was nothing short of groundbreaking. Organized by the French newspaper L’Auto, the race was intended as a publicity… Read More »The cheating scandal of Tour de France 1904
Faces from the peloton: Hippolyte Aucouturier
The image of a French cyclist in a striped shirt may feel like a cliché, but sometimes stereotypes hold a surprising amount of truth. Consider… Read More »Faces from the peloton: Hippolyte Aucouturier