The Tour visits Saint Etienne
This is a common site for time trials. Louison Bobet confirmed
his 1953 win with a TT victory there. As did Joop Zoetemelk
in 1980, and Jan Ullrich in 1997. The only exception to this
was Bernard Hinault, who won the Saint Etienne TT in 1986 and
finished second overall.
Raphael Geminiani was the first stage winner here in 1950, Ludo
Dierckxsens the most recent in 1999. Other riders to take stages
here include Ockers (1956), Forestier (1961), Bracke (1966),
Merckx (1977), Hinault (1978), and Kelly (1980). TMO DS Godefroot
won here in 1971, and EUS DS Julian Gorospe took the stage in 1986.
July 23rd in the Tour
- Andre Leducq took one of his five stage wins in 1929 on this
date in Strasbourg. He also won in 1932, and that year he would
win the Tour.
- Tour of Flander strongman Frans Bonduel won in Belfort in 1930.
Another early Ronde winner Marcel Kint would do the same in
1938 in Aix les Bains.
- Fausto Coppi took a 137(!) TT from Colmar to Nancy in his magic
year of 1949.
- The 1967 Tour was one of many that did not go as hoped for
Raymond Poulidor. But he had some consolation as he won in Paris.
- Merckx? 1972, a TT in Versailles.
- The ever stylish Gianni Bugno echoed Coppi's win in L'Alpe D'Huez
in 1991.
- Dzamolidine Abduzhaparov won on this date two years running in
1993-4. And then again in 1995 at the finish in Paris!
Bob Schwartz
[email hidden]