Death of Tom Simpson
The location of Simpson's final collapse one kilometre from the summit of Mont Ventoux.
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| Time | 5:40 p.m |
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| Date | 13 July 1967 |
| Location | Mont Ventoux, Provence, France |
| Coordinates | 44°10′11″N 5°17′10″E / 44.169642°N 5.286016°ECoordinates: 44°10′11″N 5°17′10″E / 44.169642°N 5.286016°E |
| Cause | Heart failure caused by exhaustion |
| Deaths | Tom Simpson |
| Burial | Harworth, Nottinghamshire, England |
Tom Simpson (30 November 1937 – 13 July 1967) was a British professional cyclist, one of Britain's most successful of all-time. At the time of the 1967 Tour de France, he was the undisputed leader of the British team. In the 13th stage of that race, he collapsed and died during the ascent of Mont Ventoux.
Simpson fell ill with diarrhoea during the Tour's tenth stage. He was under pressure from his personal manager to continue in the race, though members of his team encouraged him to quit. Near the summit of Mont Ventoux, Simpson fell off of his bike but was able to get back on it. After riding a short distance further, he collapsed. He was pronounced dead after being airlifted to a hospital. The post-mortem examination found that he had taken amphetamine and alcohol, a diuretic combination which proved fatal when combined with the heat, the hard climb of the Ventoux and the stomach complaint.
Approximately 5,000 people came to Simpson's funeral service. A memorial stands close to the spot where he died and has become a pilgrimage for many cyclists. At the Harworth and Bircotes Sports and Social Club, there is a museum dedicated to Simpson's memory.
Going into the 1967 Tour de France, Simpson was determined to make an impact. He was in his eighth year as a professional cyclist and wanted to earn as much money as possible before retiring. He was optimistic that he could finish high in the general classification, securing larger appearance fees from post-Tour criteriums. His plan was to either finish in the top three or wear the leader's yellow jersey; he had targeted three key stages, one of which included the thirteenth over Mont Ventoux, riding safe until the race reached the mountains. The 1967 Tour was contested by national teams rather than trade teams. Simpson was the undisputed leader of the British team, one of the weakest in the race. Four team members had experience in top-level racing and six were riding the Tour for the first time. This could have been seen as a handicap, but Simpson was not guaranteed the leadership of his trade team, Peugeot-BP-Michelin, and would have to compete with Frenchman Roger Pingeon – the winner of the 1967 Tour.
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