As we all know, the 2010 Tour de France will pay homage to the mountains, following their introduction into the Tour route – and Tour lore – one-hundred years ago in 1910. Indeed, the Tourmalet will feature on two stages: 16 and 17 (split by a rest day), July 20 and 22 respectively. Stage 16 …
One hundred years after the Tour de France first ventured into the Pyrenees, the 2010 parcours will pay homage to the 1910 Tour’s queen stage, l’étape colossale, as L’Auto called it at the time. The media are billing next year as the showdown between the returning champion, Alberto Contador, and the former seven-time winner on …
From a quick glance at the results sheet, 1990 was a pinnacle season for Greg LeMond. He won the Tour de France for the third time, whilst in the jersey of the World Champion. In professional cycling, there can be no greater display of dominance. Yet, as we saw in part 1 of this series, …
One of last year’s publishing highlights for this avid cycling book reader was The Tour is Won on the Alpe, by renowned French journalist Jean-Paul Vespini and brought to us Anglo readers by VeloPress. Alpe d’Huez has been the scene of many epic Tour de France battles and this book covers them all. Even the …
The organizers of professional cycling races, particularly the Tour de France, have always had some strange ideas about water. Restrictions on water consumption by the riders has been one way race organizers for Grand Tours have tried, even in recent times, to keep the races tough, as a test of the survival skills of the …
The young French grimpeur René Vietto was riding high following his Tour de France exploits in 1934, which boosted his public profile as well as his earnings, even though he was the benefit of considered myth-making by Jacques Goddet. Over the next four years, however, his performances waxed and waned as he struggled to live …
The iconic climb of Alpe d’Huez featured again at the Tour de France this year and proved to be decisive in the outcome of the race. Le grimpeur has already discussed this climb on several occasions (see here, for example), but the publication of a new book on l’Alpe, as well as questions arising from …
