The arrival of the 16th stage of this Tour 2021, this Tuesday, revives memories in the capital of Comminges. This will be the 15th time that the biggest cycling race in the world will stop at Saint-Gaudens which has already had 9 finishes, 13 starts … and was even, in 1999, a day of rest. At that time, a certain Alexeï Sivakov would run within the BigMat Auber 93. His son, Pavel, current rider of Ineos Grenadier, who grew up with the bottle of St Go Cyclisme Comminges, was only 2 years old when the great barnum of the Tour had taken his ease around the lake of Sède. The day before, Dimitri Konyshev, who escaped from km 10 with Jacky Durand and other adventurers, had won the stage coming from Castres. After the day’s rest, the peloton had rallied to Piau-Engaly, where Fernando Escartin had won.
Italian divorce
Saint-Gaudens’ love affair with the big loop began in 1950, with an Italian divorce. The 11th stage passed through Aubisque, Tourmalet and Aspin. It is at the top of the last difficulty that incidents would have taken place. At the end of the war, the Italian riders were not really popular in a still traumatized France. Neck to neck with Jean Robic, Gino Bartali, already twice winner of the Tour in 38 and 48, would have been hampered by a barrage of spectators. By moving away, he would have knocked Robic down. The crowd would then have attacked the transalpine runner, blows would have been exchanged. But the race had resumed its rights and in Saint-Gaudens, below the stands of the Comminges racing circuit, Gino Bartali settled a group of nine escaped men, including Bobet, Geminiani or even Florenzo Magni, who took the yellow jersey that day. . But Bartali was furious. That same evening, he urged the two Italian teams to withdraw from the race. The next day, no Italian left to reach Perpignan. The incident at the top of the Aspin was just a pretext. Bartali would not have wanted to see his teammate Magni win the Tour. Magni will never win one. The Grande Boucle was offered on a plate to the Swiss Ferdi Kubler. The outcome of this edition was played out in Saint-Gaudens.
The stars Gaul, Darrigade, Ocana …
After Bartali, other big names have distinguished themselves. In 1955, Charly Gaul won, in 1959 it was André Darrigade’s turn. The Landes sprinter won for the first and only time in a mountain stage. In 1962, if Robert Cazala raised his arms, Tom Simpson took the yellow jersey; he was the first Briton to don the golden tunic. In 1970, a first too. Luis Ocana won for the first time in the Tour during a stage linking Toulouse to his sub-prefecture.
Declared winner 5 days later
1976 is also a milestone. at the end of the stage, Hennie Kuiper launched the sprint of loie. But the Dutchman was not the fastest and was passed by Régis Ovion and Willy Teirlinck. Kuiper hooked up the Belgian sprinter’s rear wheel and took a massive fall, just in front of the town hall. He gave up the next day. Régis Ovion was the fastest and was ahead of Willy Teirlinck. However, 5 days later, the Peugeot rider was downgraded, taken by the anti-doping patrol. The victory then went to Willy Teirlinck. Will this 2021 edition reserve one of those little stories that make up the great history of the Tour? We will find out this afternoon …
–
