1953 Tour de France
Route of the 1953 Tour de France
Followed counterclockwise, starting in Strasbourg and finishing in Paris |
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| Race details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dates | 3–26 July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stages | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 4,476 km (2,781 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winning time | 129h 23' 25" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 |
Winner |
 Louison Bobet (FRA)
|
(France) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second |
Jean Malléjac (FRA)
|
(West France) | |
| Third |
 Giancarlo Astrua (ITA)
|
(Italy) | |
|
|
|||
 |
Points |
 Fritz Schär (SUI)
|
(Switzerland) |
| Mountains |
 Jesús Loroño (ESP)
|
(Spain) | |
| Team | Netherlands | ||
The 1953 Tour de France was the 40th Tour de France, taking place from 3 July to 26 July. It consisted of 22 stages over 4,476 km (2,781 mi).
The race was won by Louison Bobet, the first of his three consecutive wins. At first, internal struggles in the French national team seemed to work against Bobet, but when the team joined forces, he beat regional rider Jean Malléjac in the mountains.
The 1953 Tour de France saw the introduction of the points classification, which gives the green jersey to its leader. In 1953 this was won by Fritz Schär.
Changes in the Tour formula were made: Only one time trial was used, instead of two the previous year; the time bonus for the first cyclist to cross a mountain top was removed; there were fewer mountain stages; the number of cyclists per team was increased from 8 to 10. Since all these changes were bad for 1952's winner Fausto Coppi, who had gained significant time in 1952 in the time trials and mountain stages, the Tour organisation was accused of favoring French riders.
As was the custom since the 1930 Tour de France, the 1953 Tour de France was contested by national and regional teams. Seven national teams were sent, with 10 cyclists each from Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France. France additionally sent five regional teams from 10 cyclists each, divided into Ile de France, Center-North East France, South East France, West France and South West France. One Luxembourgian cyclist did not start, so 119 cyclists started the race.
The winner of the previour edition, Coppi, did not defend his title. The reasons were not clear: it could have been injury, but it was also possible that Coppi did not want to ride in the same team as his rival Gino Bartali, or that the Tour direction urged the Italian team not to select Coppi because he had dominated the 1952 Tour, or that Coppi chose to prepare for the 1953 UCI Road World Championships. The big favourites became Hugo Koblet and Louison Bobet.
The last five editions had been won by Italian and Swiss cyclists, so the French cycling fans were anxious for a French win. When team manager Michel Bidot had selected Bobet as the French team captain, controversy arose. Bobet had shown his potential strength, but had already tried to win the Tour de France five times without succeeding. His team mate Raphaël Géminiani thought that Bobet was not strong enough, after he did not finish the 1953 Giro d'Italia earlier that year.
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Wikipedia