1958 Tour de France
Route of the 1958 Tour de France
Followed clockwise, starting in Brussels and finishing in Paris |
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| Race details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dates | 26 June – 19 July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stages | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 4,319 km (2,684 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winning time | 116h 59' 05" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 |
Winner |
 Charly Gaul (LUX)
|
(Netherlands/Luxembourg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second |
 Vito Favero (ITA)
|
(Italy) | |
| Third |
 Raphaël Géminiani (FRA)
|
(Centre-Midi) | |
|
|
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 |
Points |
Jean Graczyk (FRA)
|
(Centre-Midi) |
| Mountains |
 Federico Bahamontes (ESP)
|
(Spain) | |
| Team | Belgium | ||
The 1958 Tour de France was the 45th edition of the Tour de France, taking place from 26 June to 19 July. The total race distance was 24 stages over 4,319 km (2,684 mi).
The yellow jersey for the leader in the general classification changed owner a record 11 times, and only at the penultimate stage in the time trial the decision was made, when Gaul created a margin of more than three minutes. In the final sprint, sprinter André Darrigade, who had already won five stages, collided with a stage official, who eleven days later died because of his injuries.
In 1958, 120 cyclists entered, divided into 10 teams of 12 cyclists each. France, Italy, Belgium and Spain each sent a national team. The Netherlands and Luxembourg had a combined team, as had Switzerland and Germany. There was also one "international" team, consisting of cyclists from Austria, Portugal, Great Britain and Denmark. There were also three regional French teams: Centre-Midi, West/South West and Paris/North East.
The French team had had some problems with the selection, as Jacques Anquetil, the winner of the 1957 Tour de France, did not want to share leadership with Louison Bobet, winner in 1953, 1954 and 1955. Anquetil had been so superior in 1957, that he did not want Bobet and Géminiani both in his team. The French team selector then chose to include Bobet in the national team.Raphael Géminiani, who had been in the French national team since 1949, was demoted into the regional Centre-Midi team. Géminiani was not pleased, and sent the French team director Marcel Bidot a "jack-ass" named "Marcel" to express his displeasure.
Charly Gaul, part of the Dutch/Luxembourgian team, anticipated so little help from his team mates that he announced that he would not share prizes. His team mates then refused to support him, so Gaul was on his own.
The teams entering the race were:
The 1958 Tour de France started on 26 June. Whereas there had been two rest days in recent years, the 1958 Tour had no rest days at all. For the first time, the first mountain climbs were broadcast live on television.
The first stage left in Brussels, to celebrate Brussel's World Fair. In the first stages, Luxembourgian climber Charly Gaul struggled, and lost considerable time in flat stages. During a break in the sixth stage, Anquetil and Bobet were left behind. Géminiani was in the leading group, and gained more than ten minutes on his rivals. After the sixth stage, Gerrit Voorting was in first place, followed by François Mahé from the French national team, and Géminiani. In the seventh stage, Arrigo Padovan won the sprint from Brian Robinson. The jury however relegated Padovan to second place for irregular sprinting, and Robinson became the first British winner of a stage.
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Wikipedia