Gustave Garrigou
Encyclopedia
Cyprien Gustave Garrigou (b. 24 September 1884, Vabres
, France, d. 23 January 1963, Paris) was one of the best professional racing cyclists of his era. He rode the Tour de France
eight times and won once. Of 117 stages, he won eight, came in the top ten 96 times and finished 65 times in the first five.
, Paris–Brussels and came second in the Tour de France 19 points behind teammate Lucien Petit-Breton
. A team rider, in the next three years, he placed fourth in 1908, second in 1909 and third in 1910 behind winning teammates Petit-Breton, Francois Faber
and Octave Lapize
.
He won the Tour in 1911 surviving not only the race but death threats because fans of another French rider, Paul Duboc
, believed Garrigou to be behind an incident in which Duboc collapsed in the Pyrenees
and lay in agony for an hour after drinking from a poisoned bottle.
Garrigou had built a lead of 16 points after the end of Stage 6 but by the time they reached the Pyrenees, Duboc had reduced it to 10 points. With Duboc finishing 3 hours behind, Garrigou finished second to consolidate a lead which increased when stage winner Maurice Brocco
was disqualified for unsportmanlike behaviour.
Feelings came to their height in Rouen
, where Duboc lived and in which notices had been posted in his name pointing out that he would have been leading the Tour had he not been poisoned and inciting the crowd to take revenge. Duboc had nothing to do with the notices and was as alarmed as the race organizer, Henri Desgrange
. Three cars provided a barrier between Garrigou and the crowd until the race had cleared the city. The culprit was eventually found to be a helper with a rival team but Duboc's supporters had suspected Garrigou, as the man most likely to profit from stopping Duboc.
Garrigou won the Tour with a generous number of points over Duboc. In some early years, the Tour was decided not on elapsed time but on points based on the position in which riders finished stages.
As leader of an all-French team, Alcyon
, Garrigou was supposed to retain the title in 1912, but a last-minute publicity stunt cost him. The Belgian Odile Defraye
was included in the team and repaid them by outsprinting Garrigou in stages 2 and 3 on the way to victory. Garrigou finished third behind Eugene Christophe
.
The Tour of 1913 saw the ending of the points system deciding the winner of the general classification. Garrigou finished in second place 8 minutes and 37 seconds behind another Belgian, Philippe Thys
.
Garrigou was an all-rounder, also winning Paris–Brussels (1907), Milan – San Remo (1911) and the Tour of Lombardy. He was national champion in 1907 and 1908. His career ended with the outbreak of war in 1914.
1908
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
Vabres
Vabres is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Vabres, Cantal* Vabres, Gard* Vabres, former commune of the Haute-Loire department, now part of Alleyras* Vabres-l'Abbaye, in the Aveyron department* Vabre, in the Tarn department...
, France, d. 23 January 1963, Paris) was one of the best professional racing cyclists of his era. He rode the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
eight times and won once. Of 117 stages, he won eight, came in the top ten 96 times and finished 65 times in the first five.
Career
Garrigou was a thin Parisian who gained from his lightness in the mountains but had the strength to ride hard on flat stages. He had remarkable powers of recovery. As an amateur he won Paris-Amiens and Paris-Dieppe. He turned professional in 1907 and that year won the national championship, the Tour of LombardyTour of Lombardy
The Giro di Lombardia is a cycling race, in Lombardy, Italy. It is the last 'Monument' of the European calendar, and although no longer part of the UCI ProTour, it was for many years the last event in the UCI World Ranking calendar, and therefore potentially decisive in that title. In 2012...
, Paris–Brussels and came second in the Tour de France 19 points behind teammate Lucien Petit-Breton
Lucien Petit-Breton
Lucien Georges Mazan was a French racing cyclist .He was born in Plessé, Loire-Atlantique , a part of Brittany, now part of Pays de la Loire. When he was six he moved with his parents to Buenos Aires where he took Argentine nationality...
. A team rider, in the next three years, he placed fourth in 1908, second in 1909 and third in 1910 behind winning teammates Petit-Breton, Francois Faber
François Faber
François Faber was a Luxembourgian/French racing cyclist. He was born in France. He was the first foreigner to win the Tour de France in 1909, and his record of winning 5 consecutive stages still stands...
and Octave Lapize
Octave Lapize
Octave Lapize was a French professional road racing cyclist and track cyclist.Most famous for winning the 1910 Tour de France and a bronze medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics in the men's 100 kilometres, he was a three-time winner of one-day classics, Paris–Roubaix and Paris–Brussels.In his first...
.
He won the Tour in 1911 surviving not only the race but death threats because fans of another French rider, Paul Duboc
Paul Duboc
Paul Duboc was a French professional road bicycle racer from 1907 through 1927. Despite winning 5 career stages in the Tour de France, he may be most remembered for being disqualified at the 1919 Tour de France for borrowing a car to go and repair his pedal axle.In 1911, Duboc was close to...
, believed Garrigou to be behind an incident in which Duboc collapsed in the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
and lay in agony for an hour after drinking from a poisoned bottle.
Garrigou had built a lead of 16 points after the end of Stage 6 but by the time they reached the Pyrenees, Duboc had reduced it to 10 points. With Duboc finishing 3 hours behind, Garrigou finished second to consolidate a lead which increased when stage winner Maurice Brocco
Maurice Brocco
Maurice Brocco was a French professional road bicycle racer between 1906 and 1927. In 1911 he won a stage in the Tour de France. He participated six times in the Tour de France, but finished the race only once. In his later career he was successful in six-day races.In the 1911 Tour de France,...
was disqualified for unsportmanlike behaviour.
Feelings came to their height in Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, where Duboc lived and in which notices had been posted in his name pointing out that he would have been leading the Tour had he not been poisoned and inciting the crowd to take revenge. Duboc had nothing to do with the notices and was as alarmed as the race organizer, Henri Desgrange
Henri Desgrange
Henri Desgrange was a French bicycle racer and sports journalist. He set 12 world track cycling records, including the hour record of 35.325 kilometres on 11 May 1893. He was the first organiser of the Tour de France.-Origins:Henri Desgrange was one of two brothers, twins...
. Three cars provided a barrier between Garrigou and the crowd until the race had cleared the city. The culprit was eventually found to be a helper with a rival team but Duboc's supporters had suspected Garrigou, as the man most likely to profit from stopping Duboc.
Garrigou won the Tour with a generous number of points over Duboc. In some early years, the Tour was decided not on elapsed time but on points based on the position in which riders finished stages.
As leader of an all-French team, Alcyon
Alcyon
The Alcyon was a French bicycle, automobile and motorcycle manufacturer between 1890 and 1957.- Origins :Alcyon originated from about 1890 when Edmond Gentil started the manufacture of bicycles in Neuilly, Seine. In 1902, this was complemented by motorcycle production and in 1906, the first cars...
, Garrigou was supposed to retain the title in 1912, but a last-minute publicity stunt cost him. The Belgian Odile Defraye
Odile Defraye
Odile Defraye was a Belgian road racing cyclist who won three stages and the overall title of the 1912 Tour de France, which was the last tour decided by a points system instead of overall best time...
was included in the team and repaid them by outsprinting Garrigou in stages 2 and 3 on the way to victory. Garrigou finished third behind Eugene Christophe
Eugene Christophe
Eugène Christophe was a French road bicycle racer and pioneer of cyclo-cross. He was a professional from 1904 until 1926. In 1919 he became the first rider to wear the yellow jersey of the Tour de France .Eugène Christophe rode 11 Tours de France and finished eight...
.
The Tour of 1913 saw the ending of the points system deciding the winner of the general classification. Garrigou finished in second place 8 minutes and 37 seconds behind another Belgian, Philippe Thys
Philippe Thys
Philippe Thys was a Belgian cyclist and three times winner of the Tour de France.-Professional career:...
.
Garrigou was an all-rounder, also winning Paris–Brussels (1907), Milan – San Remo (1911) and the Tour of Lombardy. He was national champion in 1907 and 1908. His career ended with the outbreak of war in 1914.
Achievements
1907- Tour de France1907 Tour de FranceThe 1907 Tour de France was the 5th annual Tour de France bicycle race. From 8 July to 4 August, participants cycled 4488 km . across France. The winner, Lucien Petit-Breton, completed the race at an average speed of 28.47 km/h . For the first time, climbs in the Western Alps were...
- 2nd Overall, Stage 10 and 12 wins - Giro di Lombardia - 1st Overall
- Paris–Brussels - 1st Place
1908
- Tour de France1908 Tour de FranceThe 1908 Tour de France was the sixth Tour de France. Taking place between 13 July and 9 August 1908, the total race distance was . After his 1907 victory, Lucien Petit-Breton was considered main favourite. Winning 5 of the 14 stages and the overall classification, he showed that his 1907 victory...
- 4th Overall
1909
- Tour de France1909 Tour de FranceThe 1909 Tour de France was the seventh Tour de France, taking place from 5 July to 1 August 1909. It consisted of 14 stages over , ridden at an average 28.658 km/h. The results were computed by points accorded finishing positions on each stage, the rider with fewest points at the end of the...
- 2nd Overall, 1 Stage win
1910
- Tour de France1910 Tour de FranceThe 1910 Tour de France was the 8th Tour de France, taking place 3 July to 31 July 1910. It consisted of 15 stages over , ridden at an average speed of 28.680 km/h. It was the first Tour to enter the Pyrenees mountains. Two main candidates for the victory were 1909 winner François Faber, a...
- 3rd Overall, 1 stage win
1911
-
Tour de France1911 Tour de FranceThe 1911 Tour de France was the 9th Tour de France, taking place from 2 to 30 July 1911. It was composed of 15 stages over , ridden at an average speed of 27.322 km/h. The results were computed by giving each rider points according to his finishing position on each stage, and the rider with...
- 1st Overall, 2 stage wins - Milan – San Remo, 1st Place
1912
- Tour de France1912 Tour de FranceThe 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...
- 3rd Overall - Paris–Roubaix - 2nd Place
1913
- Tour de France1913 Tour de FranceThe 1913 Tour de France was the 11th Tour de France, taking place June 29 to July 27, 1913. The total distance was and the average speed of the riders was . The competition was won by the Belgian Philippe Thys, after in the crucial sixth stage Eugène Christophe broke his bicycle and lost several...
- 2nd Overall, 1 stage win
1914
- Tour de France1914 Tour de FranceThe 1914 Tour de France was the 12th Tour de France, taking place June 28 to July 26, 1914. The total distance was and the average speed of the riders was . It was won by the Belgian cyclist Philippe Thys....
- Stage 14 win
Grand Tour results timeline
| 1907 | 1908 | 1909 | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giro Giro d'Italia The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar... |
N/A | N/A | DNE | DNE | DNE | DNE | DNE | DNE |
| Stages won | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Tour Tour de France The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The... |
2 1907 Tour de France The 1907 Tour de France was the 5th annual Tour de France bicycle race. From 8 July to 4 August, participants cycled 4488 km . across France. The winner, Lucien Petit-Breton, completed the race at an average speed of 28.47 km/h . For the first time, climbs in the Western Alps were... |
4 1908 Tour de France The 1908 Tour de France was the sixth Tour de France. Taking place between 13 July and 9 August 1908, the total race distance was . After his 1907 victory, Lucien Petit-Breton was considered main favourite. Winning 5 of the 14 stages and the overall classification, he showed that his 1907 victory... |
2 1909 Tour de France The 1909 Tour de France was the seventh Tour de France, taking place from 5 July to 1 August 1909. It consisted of 14 stages over , ridden at an average 28.658 km/h. The results were computed by points accorded finishing positions on each stage, the rider with fewest points at the end of the... |
3 1910 Tour de France The 1910 Tour de France was the 8th Tour de France, taking place 3 July to 31 July 1910. It consisted of 15 stages over , ridden at an average speed of 28.680 km/h. It was the first Tour to enter the Pyrenees mountains. Two main candidates for the victory were 1909 winner François Faber, a... |
1 1911 Tour de France The 1911 Tour de France was the 9th Tour de France, taking place from 2 to 30 July 1911. It was composed of 15 stages over , ridden at an average speed of 27.322 km/h. The results were computed by giving each rider points according to his finishing position on each stage, and the rider with... |
3 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... |
2 1913 Tour de France The 1913 Tour de France was the 11th Tour de France, taking place June 29 to July 27, 1913. The total distance was and the average speed of the riders was . The competition was won by the Belgian Philippe Thys, after in the crucial sixth stage Eugène Christophe broke his bicycle and lost several... |
5 1914 Tour de France The 1914 Tour de France was the 12th Tour de France, taking place June 28 to July 26, 1914. The total distance was and the average speed of the riders was . It was won by the Belgian cyclist Philippe Thys.... |
| Stages won | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Vuelta Vuelta a España The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages... |
N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Stages won |