| |
By Barry Boyce
Cycling Historian
Contributions from:
By Graham Jones
Cycling Historian
By Eddy O'Rourke
Cycling Historian
|
 |
Louison Bobet vs Jacques Anquetil: “French Superstars and the Tour de France 1957”
Two major French superstars Louison Bobet and Jacques Anquetil had an adversarial relationship. They were opposites and had a falling out when paired for the Trofeo Baracchi (2-man Time Trial) in 1954.
| Louison Bobet victories: |
Jacques Anquetil victories: |
TdF: GC 1953, 1954, 1955, KoM 1950, 11 stage wins
|
TdF: GC 1953, 1954, 1955, KoM 1950, 11 stage wins
|
Giro: KoM 1951, 2 stage wins
|
Giro: KoM 1951, 2 stage wins
|
VaE: 1 stage win 1956
|
VaE: 1 stage win 1956
|
World Road Race Championships (1954)
|
World Road Race Championships (1954)
|
Milan-San Remo (1951)
|
Milan-San Remo (1951)
|
Giro di Lombardia (1951)
|
Giro di Lombardia (1951)
|
Tour of Flanders (1955)
|
Tour of Flanders (1955)
|
Paris-Roubaix (1956)
|
Paris-Roubaix (1956)
|
Jacques Anquetil was the master individual time triallist (one of the greatest of all time) but hated the Trofeo Baracchi. Anquetil could drive himself as hard as he needed, but he did not like it when someone else set the pace in a time trial, they always upset his rhythm.
In 1954 a talented 20-year-old Anquetil had a chance to ride the 2-man TT with the World Champion Bobet. The French team did not ride well together and finished second to Fausto Coppi and Riccardo Filippi. The French rivalry had started.
Over the next 3 years Anquetil developed into a star and was selected for the French National for the Tour de France. He refused to ride the Tour in ’57 because Bobet and Raphael Geminiani were on the French team. However, after a tough loss in the Giro d’Italia Bobet withdrew his name from the team.
Jacques Anquetil reconsidered and joined the French “tri-colore” team and rode to his first of five TdF victories. |
|
