1953 Tour de France
Encyclopedia
The 1953 Tour de France was the 40th Tour de France, taking place from July 3 to July 26, 1953. It consisted of 22 stages over 4479 km, ridden at an average speed of 34.593 km/h.
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.
(usually seen as the "best sprinter's" jersey), at that time called the . The classification was based on the points system as it had been used from the 1905 Tour de France
to the 1912 Tour de France
.
The points classification was not only added to celebrate the 50 years since the first race, but also to have the sprinters race hard for the entire race.
The 1952 Tour de France had seen daily combativity awards. In 1953, this system was kept, and in addition a supercombativity award for the most combative cyclist of the entire Tour was given.
, 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, Fausto Coppi
, did not defend his title due to injury. 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.
took the lead, but he soon lost it when the mountains appeared.
Hassenforder was ill, and could not follow in the mountains, so Schär took the lead back in the ninth stage. In the next stage, Hugo Koblet
, the leader of the Swiss team, fell and had to give up, making Schär the undisputed leader of the Swiss team.
Jean Robic
, the winner of the 1947 Tour de France
, rode for the regional team from West France. He was in great shape, and won the 11th stage, and even took the leading position in the general classification. In the next stage, Robic rode in the yellow jersey for the first and only time in his career. Robic had won the 1947 Tour de France
, but only captured the lead in the ultimate stage, so he hever wore the yellow jersey during that race. Robic was a good climber, but he was not heavy enough to be a good descender. It is said that the manager of his team had arranged bidons filled with lead, that would be given to Robic on the top of the mountains. This helped Robic to keep his lead on the descent.
Robic lost the yellow jersey in the next stage, after he crashed and the French national team attacked. A large group of twenty five cyclists, without any of the favourites, had escaped and stayed away. Robic's team did not lose the jersey however, as first François Mahé
took over the lead.
In the next stage, the favourites attacked again. Mahé could not keep up, and lost his leading position to his team mate Jean Malléjac
. The sprint was won by Nello Lauredi
from the French national team, before his team mate Bobet. Bobet was angry that Lauredi had won the sprint, because it made Bobet miss the one minute time bonus for the winner of the stage. Bobet accused Lauredi and Géminiani of working against him, and during dinner it came to a fight. The French team captain intervened, and they found a solution: Bobet agreed to give his prize money to his team mates, if they helped him win the Tour.
In that stage, Robic had fallen down, and lost many minutes, so he was no longer considered able to win the Tour. He did not start the fourteenth stage. At that point, Bobet was 3 minutes 13 seconds behind Malléjac.
In the eighteenth stage in the alps, Bobet followed Jesus Lorono
who attacked on the Col de Vars
. Bobet dropped him on the descend, and went alone to the Col d'Izoard
. There was a group of early attackers ahead, including Bobet's team mate Deledda. Deledda waited for Bobet, and helped him to reach the Izoard. Bobet could save his energy, and when they reached the Izoard, he left Deledda behind. The tactics had worked, and Bobet won more than 12 minutes on Malléjac and took the yellow jersey. He extended his lead by winning the time trial in stage 20, thereby showing that he was not only a good climber but also a fine time trialist. At that point, the Dutch team was leading the team classification, and the Dutch and French team started to work together to keep their leading positions in the general and team classification.
For the finish in Paris, eleven former Tour de France winners were present: Maurice Garin
(who won the 1903 edition), Gustave Garrigou
(1911), Philippe Thys
(1913, 1914 and 1920), Lucien Buysse
(1926), André Leducq
(1930 and 1932), Antonin Magne
(1931 and 1934), Georges Speicher
(1933), Romain Maes
(1935), Sylvère Maes
(1936 and 1939), Roger Lapébie
(1937) and Ferdi Kübler (1950).
was introduced in 1953, following the calculation method from the Tours de France from 1905 to 1912. Points were given according to the ranking of the stage: the winner received one points, the next cyclist two points, and so on. These points were added, and the cyclist with the least points was the leader of the points classification. In 1953, this was won by Fritz Schär.
South West France did not finish with three cyclists so was not eligible for the team classification.
won the combativity award
, the first time that it was given.
and André Darrigade
. Gaul would later win the 1958 Tour de France
, and Darrigade would win 22 stages in total, and win the points classification twice.
It was the last Tour that Gino Bartali
rode. Bartali started eight Tours, and won two of them.
The winner of the 1953 Tour, Bobet, would also win the next two editions, and became the first rider to win three consecutive Tours.
The race was won by Louison Bobet
Louison Bobet
Louis 'Louison' Bobet was a French professional road racing cyclist. He was the first great French rider of the post-war period and the first rider to win the Tour de France in three successive years, from 1953 to 1955...
, 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
Jean Malléjac
Jean Malléjac was a professional French road bicycle racer.-Career:Malléjac was born at Dirinon. Previously a worker in the munitions factory in Brest, he was professional from 1950 with the Stella-Dunlop team...
in the mountains.
The 1953 Tour de France saw the introduction of the points classification
Points classification in the Tour de France
The points classification in the Tour de France is a secondary competition in the Tour de France, that started in 1953. Points are given for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints, and these are recorded in a points classification. It is considered a sprinters' competition...
, which gives the green jersey to its leader. In 1953 this was won by Fritz Schär.
Changes from the 1952 Tour de France
Fifty years after the first Tour de France, the 1953 Tour featured the introduction of the green jersey, for the leader in the points classificationPoints classification in the Tour de France
The points classification in the Tour de France is a secondary competition in the Tour de France, that started in 1953. Points are given for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints, and these are recorded in a points classification. It is considered a sprinters' competition...
(usually seen as the "best sprinter's" jersey), at that time called the . The classification was based on the points system as it had been used from the 1905 Tour de France
1905 Tour de France
The 1905 Tour de France was the third Tour de France, held from 9 July to 30 July 1905, organized by the newspaper L'Auto. Following the disqualifications after the 1904 Tour de France, there were changes in the rules, the most important one being the general classification not made by time but by...
to the 1912 Tour de France
1912 Tour de France
The 1912 Tour de France was the 10th anniversary of the Tour de France. It consisted of 15 stages for a total of . The Tour took place from 30 June to 28 July 1912. The riders rode at an average speed of 27.763 km/h. After 4 stage wins during the Tour of Belgium, the Alcyon team hired Odile...
.
The points classification was not only added to celebrate the 50 years since the first race, but also to have the sprinters race hard for the entire race.
The 1952 Tour de France had seen daily combativity awards. In 1953, this system was kept, and in addition a supercombativity award for the most combative cyclist of the entire Tour was given.
Participants
As was the custom since the 1930 Tour de France1930 Tour de France
The 1930 Tour de France was the 24th Tour de France, taking place from 2 to 27 July 1930. It consisted of 21 stages over 4,822 km, ridden at an average speed of 28.000 km/h....
, 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, Fausto Coppi
Fausto Coppi
Angelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...
, did not defend his title due to injury. 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
Gino Bartali
Gino Bartali, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was the most renowned Italian cyclist before the Second World War, having won the Giro d'Italia twice and the Tour de France in 1938...
, 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
1953 UCI Road World Championships
- Events Summary :...
. The big favourites became Hugo Koblet
Hugo Koblet
Hugo Koblet was a Swiss champion cyclist. He won the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia as well as competing in six-day and pursuit races on the track. He won 70 races as a professional...
and Louison Bobet
Louison Bobet
Louis 'Louison' Bobet was a French professional road racing cyclist. He was the first great French rider of the post-war period and the first rider to win the Tour de France in three successive years, from 1953 to 1955...
.
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
Raphael Geminiani
Raphaël Géminiani is a French former road bicycle racer. He had six podium finishes in the Grand Tours. He is one of four children of Italian immigrants who moved to Clermont-Ferrand. He worked in a cycle shop and started racing as a boy...
thought that Bobet was not strong enough, after he did not finish the 1953 Giro d'Italia
1953 Giro d'Italia
The 1953 Giro d'Italia was the 36th edition of Giro, held from 12 May to 2 June 1953, consisting of 21 stages. It was won by Fausto Coppi ....
earlier that year.
Race details
In the first two stages Fritz Schär won the sprint. The favourites remained calm. After the fourth stage, French Roger HassenforderRoger Hassenforder
Roger Hassenforder is a former French professional racing cyclist from Alsace.-Biography:Hassenforder was a professional cyclist from 1952 to 1965. He was known as the joker of the cyclists and therefore was nicknamed "boute-en-train". He was known for his interviews during the course...
took the lead, but he soon lost it when the mountains appeared.
Hassenforder was ill, and could not follow in the mountains, so Schär took the lead back in the ninth stage. In the next stage, Hugo Koblet
Hugo Koblet
Hugo Koblet was a Swiss champion cyclist. He won the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia as well as competing in six-day and pursuit races on the track. He won 70 races as a professional...
, the leader of the Swiss team, fell and had to give up, making Schär the undisputed leader of the Swiss team.
Jean Robic
Jean Robic
Jean Robic was a French road racing cyclist, who won the 1947 Tour de France. Robic was a professional cyclist from 1943 to 1961. His diminutive stature and appearance was encapsulated in the nickname the hobgoblin of the Brittany moor...
, the winner of the 1947 Tour de France
1947 Tour de France
The 1947 Tour de France was the 34th Tour de France, taking place from 25 June to 20 July 1947. The total race distance was 21 stages over 4,640 km, ridden at an average speed of 31.412 km/h...
, rode for the regional team from West France. He was in great shape, and won the 11th stage, and even took the leading position in the general classification. In the next stage, Robic rode in the yellow jersey for the first and only time in his career. Robic had won the 1947 Tour de France
1947 Tour de France
The 1947 Tour de France was the 34th Tour de France, taking place from 25 June to 20 July 1947. The total race distance was 21 stages over 4,640 km, ridden at an average speed of 31.412 km/h...
, but only captured the lead in the ultimate stage, so he hever wore the yellow jersey during that race. Robic was a good climber, but he was not heavy enough to be a good descender. It is said that the manager of his team had arranged bidons filled with lead, that would be given to Robic on the top of the mountains. This helped Robic to keep his lead on the descent.
Robic lost the yellow jersey in the next stage, after he crashed and the French national team attacked. A large group of twenty five cyclists, without any of the favourites, had escaped and stayed away. Robic's team did not lose the jersey however, as first François Mahé
François Mahé
François Mahé is a former French professional road bicycle racer. He was professional from 1950 to 1965...
took over the lead.
In the next stage, the favourites attacked again. Mahé could not keep up, and lost his leading position to his team mate Jean Malléjac
Jean Malléjac
Jean Malléjac was a professional French road bicycle racer.-Career:Malléjac was born at Dirinon. Previously a worker in the munitions factory in Brest, he was professional from 1950 with the Stella-Dunlop team...
. The sprint was won by Nello Lauredi
Nello Lauredi
Nello Lauredi was a former professional French road bicycle racer. He was of Italian origin but in 1984 he changed nationality to France. He was a professional cyclist from 1949 until 1959 and had 17 wins. His most important win being three overall wins in the Dauphiné Libéré...
from the French national team, before his team mate Bobet. Bobet was angry that Lauredi had won the sprint, because it made Bobet miss the one minute time bonus for the winner of the stage. Bobet accused Lauredi and Géminiani of working against him, and during dinner it came to a fight. The French team captain intervened, and they found a solution: Bobet agreed to give his prize money to his team mates, if they helped him win the Tour.
In that stage, Robic had fallen down, and lost many minutes, so he was no longer considered able to win the Tour. He did not start the fourteenth stage. At that point, Bobet was 3 minutes 13 seconds behind Malléjac.
In the eighteenth stage in the alps, Bobet followed Jesus Lorono
Jesus Loroño
Jesus Loroño Artega is a former Spanish professional road racing cyclist during the 1950s and early 1960s. Loroño is most famous for capturing the 1957 Vuelta a España...
who attacked on the Col de Vars
Col de Vars
Col de Vars, elevation 2108 m is a high mountain pass in the Alps between the departments of Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in France.It connects the Ubaye Valley with the Queyras valley and Embrun...
. Bobet dropped him on the descend, and went alone to the Col d'Izoard
Col d'Izoard
Col d'Izoard is a high mountain pass in the Alps in the department of Hautes-Alpes in France.It is accessible in summer via the D902 road, connecting Briançon on the north and the valley of the Guil in Queyras, which ends at Guillestre in the south. There are forbidding and barren scree slopes...
. There was a group of early attackers ahead, including Bobet's team mate Deledda. Deledda waited for Bobet, and helped him to reach the Izoard. Bobet could save his energy, and when they reached the Izoard, he left Deledda behind. The tactics had worked, and Bobet won more than 12 minutes on Malléjac and took the yellow jersey. He extended his lead by winning the time trial in stage 20, thereby showing that he was not only a good climber but also a fine time trialist. At that point, the Dutch team was leading the team classification, and the Dutch and French team started to work together to keep their leading positions in the general and team classification.
For the finish in Paris, eleven former Tour de France winners were present: Maurice Garin
Maurice Garin
Maurice-Francois Garin was a road bicycle racer best known for winning the inaugural Tour de France in 1903, and for being stripped of his title in the second Tour in 1904 along with eight others, for cheating.-Origins:Garin was born the son of Maurice Clément Garin and Maria Teresa...
(who won the 1903 edition), Gustave Garrigou
Gustave Garrigou
Cyprien Gustave Garrigou was one of the best professional racing cyclists of his era. He rode the Tour de France eight times and won once...
(1911), Philippe Thys
Philippe Thys
Philippe Thys was a Belgian cyclist and three times winner of the Tour de France.-Professional career:...
(1913, 1914 and 1920), Lucien Buysse
Lucien Buysse
Lucien Buysse was a Belgian cyclist and a champion of the Tour de France.Born in Wontergem, Buysse began racing professionally in 1914, when he entered the Tour de France but did not finish. He resumed his career after World War I, entering but abandoning the Tour again in 1919 but placing third...
(1926), André Leducq
André Leducq
André Leducq was a French cyclist who won the 1930 and 1932 Tour de France.-Career:...
(1930 and 1932), Antonin Magne
Antonin Magne
Antonin Magne was a French cyclist who won the Tour de France in 1931 and 1934. He raced as a professional from 1927 to 1939 and then became a team manager...
(1931 and 1934), Georges Speicher
Georges Speicher
Georges Speicher was a French cyclist who won the 1933 Tour de France along with three stage wins, and the 1933 World Cycling Championship.- Palmarès :19311932...
(1933), Romain Maes
Romain Maes
Romain Maes was a Belgian cyclist who won the 1935 Tour de France after wearing the yellow jersey of leadership from beginning to end....
(1935), Sylvère Maes
Sylvère Maes
Sylvère Maes was a Belgian cyclist, who is most famous for winning the Tour de France in 1936 and 1939.- Palmarès :1932...
(1936 and 1939), Roger Lapébie
Roger Lapébie
Roger Lapébie was a French racing cyclist who won the 1937 Tour de France. In addition, Lapébie won the 1934 and 1937 editions of the Critérium National. He was born at Bayonne, Aquitaine, and died in Pessac....
(1937) and Ferdi Kübler (1950).
Stages
| Stage | Date | Route | Terrain | Length | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 July | Strasbourg – Metz Metz Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place... |
 |
195 km (121 mi) | |
| 2 | 4 July | Metz – Liège Liège Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium.... |
|
227 km (141 mi) | |
| 3 | 5 July | Liège – Lille Lille Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium... |
|
221 km (137 mi) | |
| 4 | 6 July | Lille – Dieppe Dieppe, Seine-Maritime Dieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled... |
|
188 km (117 mi) | |
| 5 | 7 July | Dieppe – Caen Caen Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel.... |
|
200 km (124 mi) | |
| 6 | 8 July | Caen – Le Mans Le Mans Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux... |
|
206 km (128 mi) | |
| 7 | 9 July | Le Mans Le Mans Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux... – Nantes Nantes Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants.... |
|
181 km (112 mi) | |
| 8 | 10 July | Nantes – Bordeaux Bordeaux Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture... |
|
345 km (214 mi) | |
| 9 | 12 July | Bordeaux – Pau | |
197 km (122 mi) | |
| 10 | 13 July | Pau – Cauterets Cauterets Cauterets is a spa town, a ski resort and a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-Geography:Cauterets is located southwest of Lourdes in the beautiful valley of the Gave de Cauterets and borders the Pyrenees National Park.... |
 |
103 km (64 mi) | |
| 11 | 14 July | Cauterets – Luchon | |
115 km (71 mi) | |
| 12 | 15 July | Luchon – Albi | |
228 km (142 mi) | |
| 13 | 16 July | Albi – Béziers Béziers Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event... |
|
189 km (117 mi) | |
| 14 | 17 July | Béziers – Nîmes Nîmes Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:... |
|
214 km (133 mi) | |
| 15 | 18 July | Nîmes – Marseille Marseille Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of... |
|
173 km (107 mi) | |
| 16 | 19 July | Marseille – Monaco Monaco Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the... |
|
236 km (147 mi) | |
| 17 | 21 July | Monaco – Gap Gap, Hautes-Alpes Gap is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Hautes-Alpes department.-Geography:An Alpine crossroads at the intersection of D994 and Route nationale 85 the Route Napoléon, Gap lies above sea level along the right bank of the Luye River... |
|
261 km (162 mi) | |
| 18 | 22 July | Gap – Briançon Briançon Briançon a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.... |
|
165 km (103 mi) | |
| 19 | 23 July | Briançon – Lyon Lyon Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais.... |
|
227 km (141 mi) | |
| 20 | 24 July | Lyon – St. Etienne |  Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
70 km (43 mi) | |
| 21 | 25 July | St. Etienne – Montluçon Montluçon Montluçon is a commune in central France. It is the largest commune in the Allier department, although the department's préfecture is located in the smaller town of Moulins. Its inhabitants are known as Montluçonnais... |
|
210 km (130 mi) | |
| 22 | 26 July | Montluçon – Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
|
328 km (204 mi) |
Classification leadership
| Stage | General classification |
Points classification Points classification in the Tour de France The points classification in the Tour de France is a secondary competition in the Tour de France, that started in 1953. Points are given for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints, and these are recorded in a points classification. It is considered a sprinters' competition...  |
Mountains classification | Team classification Team classification The team classification is a prize given in the Tour de France to the best team in the race. It has been awarded since 1930, and the calculation has changed throughout the years.-Calculation:... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | no award | |||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 | ||||
| 5 |  France Center-North East |
|||
| 6 | ||||
| 7 | ||||
| 8 | ||||
| 9 | ||||
| 10 | ||||
| 11 | ||||
| 12 | ||||
| 13 | ||||
| 14 | ||||
| 15 | ||||
| 16 | ||||
| 17 | ||||
| 18 | ||||
| 19 | ||||
| 20 | ||||
| 21 | ||||
| 22 | ||||
| Final |
General classification
Of the 119 cyclists that started the 1953 Tour de France, 76 finished the race. The results showed that the pre-war greats were no longer dominant: all cyclists in the top ten had turned professional after the Second World War.| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ' |
France | 129h 23' 25" |
| 2 | West France | +14' 18" | |
| 3 | Italy | +15' 02" | |
| 4 | Belgium | +17' 35" | |
| 5 | Netherlands | +18' 05" | |
| 6 | |
Switzerland | +18' 44" |
| 7 | France | +23' 03" | |
| 8 | France | +26' 03" | |
| 9 | France | +27' 18" | |
| 10 | West France | +28' 26" |
| Final general classification (11–76) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 11 | Italy | +32' 00" | |
| 12 | South East France | +38' 21" | |
| 13 | Netherlands | +39' 00" | |
| 14 | Spain | +40' 32" | |
| 15 | Italy | +40' 47" | |
| 16 | North East-Center | +42' 03" | |
| 17 | Netherlands | +44' 02" | |
| 18 | Luxembourg | +46' 41" | |
| 19 | Netherlands | +47' 29" | |
| 20 | Italy | +50' 38" | |
| 21 | South East France | +52' 16" | |
| 22 | Italy | +54' 47" | |
| 23 | Belgium | +59' 12" | |
| 24 | Spain | +1h 04' 35" | |
| 25 | Ile de France | +1h 08' 16" | |
| 26 | France | +1h 12' 57" | |
| 27 | North East-Center | +1h 14' 43" | |
| 28 | Belgium | +1h 16' 04" | |
| 29 | Netherlands | +1h 22' 04" | |
| 30 | France | +1h 22' 15" | |
| 31 | Ile de France | +1h 24' 15" | |
| 32 | Switzerland | +1h 25' 02" | |
| 33 | Belgium | +1h 29' 39" | |
| 34 | Belgium | +1h 30' 17" | |
| 35 | France | +1h 37' 24" | |
| 36 | Netherlands | +1h 37' 41" | |
| 37 | South West France | +1h 39' 09" | |
| 38 | South East France | +1h 39' 16" | |
| 39 | North East-Center | +1h 40' 15" | |
| 40 | Netherlands | +1h 40' 31" | |
| 41 | Ile de France | +1h 40' 42" | |
| 42 | Italy | +1h 41' 03" | |
| 43 | Belgium | +1h 42' 25" | |
| 44 | West France | +1h 43' 43" | |
| 45 | Belgium | +1h 44' 03" | |
| 46 | Spain | +1h 45' 31" | |
| 47 | North East-Center | +1h 52' 53" | |
| 48 | Spain | +1h 52' 56" | |
| 49 | Ile de France | +1h 54' 03" | |
| 50 | Spain | +1h 58' 03" | |
| 51 | France | +2h 02' 07" | |
| 52 | Belgium | +2h 02' 46" | |
| 53 | Italy | +2h 03' 06" | |
| 54 | Italy | +2h 12' 25" | |
| 55 | North East-Center | +2h 12' 33" | |
| 56 | Italy | +2h 14' 05" | |
| 57 | Switzerland | +2h 15' 34" | |
| 58 | South West France | +2h 16' 18" | |
| 59 | South East France | +2h 20' 00" | |
| 60 | Ile de France | +2h 24' 09" | |
| 61 | Switzerland | +2h 26' 48" | |
| 62 | Switzerland | +2h 31' 09" | |
| 63 | South East France | +2h 31' 24" | |
| 64 | North East-Center | +2h 31' 57" | |
| 65 | West France | +2h 31' 59" | |
| 66 | Luxembourg | +2h 42' 49" | |
| 67 | Switzerland | +2h 43' 32" | |
| 68 | Switzerland | +2h 55' 58" | |
| 69 | South East France | +2h 58' 33" | |
| 70 | West France | +3h 26' 06" | |
| 71 | West France | +3h 31' 21" | |
| 72 | Luxembourg | +3h 34' 58" | |
| 73 | Spain | +3h 39' 59" | |
| 74 | Spain | +3h 48' 11" | |
| 75 | France | +3h 49' 49" | |
| 76 | Ile de France | +4h 09' 10" | |
Points classification
The points classificationPoints classification in the Tour de France
The points classification in the Tour de France is a secondary competition in the Tour de France, that started in 1953. Points are given for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints, and these are recorded in a points classification. It is considered a sprinters' competition...
was introduced in 1953, following the calculation method from the Tours de France from 1905 to 1912. Points were given according to the ranking of the stage: the winner received one points, the next cyclist two points, and so on. These points were added, and the cyclist with the least points was the leader of the points classification. In 1953, this was won by Fritz Schär.
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ' |
Switzerland | 271 |
| 2 | Italy | 307 | |
| 3 | France | 406 | |
| 4 | France | 413 | |
| 5 | Netherlands | 440 | |
| 6 | Netherlands | 490 | |
| 7 | Italy | 536 | |
| 8 | |
France | 541 |
| 9 | Italy | 549 | |
| 10 | Belgium | 620 | |
Mountains classification
Points for the mountains classification were earned by reaching the mountain tops first. The system was almost the same as in 1952: there were two types of mountain tops: the hardest ones, in category 1, gave 10 points to the first cyclist, the easier ones, in category 2, gave 6 points to the first cyclist, and the easiest ones, in category 3, gave 3 points. Jesus Lorono won this classification.| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ' | Spain | 54 |
| 2 | |
France | 36 |
| 3 | South East France | 30 | |
| 4 | North East-Center | 25 | |
| 5 | France | 24 | |
| 6 | |
Switzerland | 22 |
| 7 | Italy | 20 | |
| 8 | Spain | 19 | |
| 9 | Netherlands | 14 | |
| 9 | Switzerland | 14 | |
Team classification
The calculation of the team classification was changed from the calculation in 1952. In 1953, it was calculated as the sum of the daily team classifications, and the daily team classification was calculated by adding the times in the stage result of the best three cyclists per team. It was won by the Dutch team, with a small margin over the French team.| Rank | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 387h 42' 54" |
| 2 | France | +11' 07" |
| 3 | North East-Center | +23' 22" |
| 4 | Belgium | +54' 57" |
| 5 | West France | +1h 07' 51" |
| 6 | Italy | +1h 19' 45" |
| 7 | Spain | +2h 00' 13" |
| 8 | South East France | +2h 28' 45" |
| 9 | Île-de-France | +2h 38' 25" |
| 10 | Luxembourg | +2h 42' 22" |
South West France did not finish with three cyclists so was not eligible for the team classification.
Other awards
The prize for best regional cyclist was won by second-placed Malléjac. Dutch Wout WagtmansWout Wagtmans
Wouter Wagtmans was a Dutch road bicycle racer.Together with Wim van Est he belonged to the generation that brought great popularity to cycling in the Netherlands in the 1950s. In 1947, Wagtmans started as amateur, and two years later he became Dutch champion...
won the combativity award
Combativity award
The combativity award, , is a prize given in the Tour de France. It favours constant attackers and since 1981 the winner of the award has not won the whole Tour.- History :...
, the first time that it was given.
Aftermath
The 1953 Tour de France had two young rider making their debuts, Charly GaulCharly Gaul
Charly Gaul was a professional cyclist. He was a national cyclo-cross champion, an accomplished time triallist and a better climber. His ability earned him the nickname of The Angel of the Mountains in the 1958 Tour de France, which he won with four stage victories...
and André Darrigade
André Darrigade
André Darrigade was a French professional road bicycle racer between 1951 and 1966. Darrigade, a road sprinter won the 1959 World Championship and 22 stages of the Tour de France. Five of those were on the first day. The record has never been equalled.-Origins:André Darrigade was born at Narosse,...
. Gaul would later win the 1958 Tour de France
1958 Tour de France
The 1958 Tour de France was the 45th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 19, 1958. The total race distance was 24 stages over 4,319 km, at an average speed of 36.919 km/h....
, and Darrigade would win 22 stages in total, and win the points classification twice.
It was the last Tour that Gino Bartali
Gino Bartali
Gino Bartali, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was the most renowned Italian cyclist before the Second World War, having won the Giro d'Italia twice and the Tour de France in 1938...
rode. Bartali started eight Tours, and won two of them.
The winner of the 1953 Tour, Bobet, would also win the next two editions, and became the first rider to win three consecutive Tours.