Louis Caput
Encyclopedia
Louis Caput was a French
professional racing cyclist and then team manager. He won Paris–Tours in 1948, and two stages of the Tour de France
. He was national champion in 1946.
said:
He rode the Tour de France nine times between 1947 and 1956, failing to finish six times but coming 45th in 1951, 54th in 1955 and 56th in 1956. He won stages in 1949 and 1955. He came third in the Ronde van Vlaanderen of 1950.
business in Vincennes
, an eastern suburb of Paris
. In 1966 he became directeur sportif
of a new team, Kamomé-Dilecta, sponsored by a maker of Japanese washing machines and a French bicycle company that had last had a team in the 1930s. The team soon ran into trouble and riders were no longer paid. "We were paid à la musette, which means only if we won. Kamomé was in financial difficulties," said one of the riders, Raymond Lebreton.
The French businessman, Jean de Gribaldy
, took over sponsorship the following year with Frimatic, another maker of washing machines, as main backer. Caput went with him to run the team but, said, Lebreton, his organisation was chaotic. "The de Gribaldy team was badly organised. We were told we were to ride raced only a few hours before they started. It was a bazaar, and I wanted to leave." Caput ran the team from 1968 to 1969. The following year Antonin Magne
retired from running the Mercier
team, which had lost BP
as secondary sponsor.
Fagor, a Spanish maker of refrigerators and other household goods, took over. An incidental effect of Caput's arrival as manager is that Raymond Poulidor
and the other riders were allowed zips at the necks of their jerseys, something Magne had always thought unhealthy.
event is organised annually in his honour.
1946
1948
1949
1952
1955
1956
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
professional racing cyclist and then team manager. He won Paris–Tours in 1948, and two stages of 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...
. He was national champion in 1946.
Career
Caput rode as a professional from 1942 to 1957. René de LatourRené de Latour
René de Latour was a Franco-American sports journalist, race director of the Tour de l'Avenir cycle race, and correspondent of the British magazine, Sporting Cyclist, to which he contributed to 120 of the 131 issues.-Background:René de Latour was born in 42nd Street, New York...
said:
- Everybody liked Louis Caput, who became known to the crowds as P'tit Louis. And not only was Caput a likeable rider, he was a clever one who knew his job perfectly and I don't think I have ever seen him make a serious mistake on the road. Whenever he got into a break, he was the boss, the ruler of it. Little Louis was a great general of the pelotonPelotonThe peloton , field, bunch or pack is the large main group of riders in a road bicycle race. Riders in a group save energy by riding close near other riders...
s, shouting encouragement, picking the right length for the relays and giving orders to his companions of the breakaway.
He rode the Tour de France nine times between 1947 and 1956, failing to finish six times but coming 45th in 1951, 54th in 1955 and 56th in 1956. He won stages in 1949 and 1955. He came third in the Ronde van Vlaanderen of 1950.
Retirement
Caput stopped racing in 1957 and went into the real estateReal estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
business in Vincennes
Vincennes
Vincennes is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.-History:...
, an eastern suburb of 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...
. In 1966 he became directeur sportif
Directeur sportif
A directeur sportif is a person directing a cycling team during a road bicycle racing event...
of a new team, Kamomé-Dilecta, sponsored by a maker of Japanese washing machines and a French bicycle company that had last had a team in the 1930s. The team soon ran into trouble and riders were no longer paid. "We were paid à la musette, which means only if we won. Kamomé was in financial difficulties," said one of the riders, Raymond Lebreton.
The French businessman, Jean de Gribaldy
Jean de Gribaldy
Jean de Gribaldy was a French road cyclist and directeur sportif.-Biography:Born in Besançon, former professional racing cyclist from 1945 to 1954, Jean de Gribaldy began a successful career as a directeur sportif in the mid-1960s .Called le Vicomte , he discovered Sean Kelly, Joaquim Agostinho...
, took over sponsorship the following year with Frimatic, another maker of washing machines, as main backer. Caput went with him to run the team but, said, Lebreton, his organisation was chaotic. "The de Gribaldy team was badly organised. We were told we were to ride raced only a few hours before they started. It was a bazaar, and I wanted to leave." Caput ran the team from 1968 to 1969. The following year 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...
retired from running the Mercier
Mercier
Mercier is a common family name in France, in French-speaking regions of Belgium, Canada and Switzerland, and is found elsewhere where French-speaking people have settled.-List of persons with the surname:...
team, which had lost BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
as secondary sponsor.
Fagor, a Spanish maker of refrigerators and other household goods, took over. An incidental effect of Caput's arrival as manager is that Raymond Poulidor
Raymond Poulidor
Raymond Poulidor , is a former professional bicycle racer. He was known as the eternal second, because he finished the Tour de France in second place three times, and in third place five times, including his final Tour at the age of 40...
and the other riders were allowed zips at the necks of their jerseys, something Magne had always thought unhealthy.
Death and memorial
Louis Caput died on the first day of 1985. A cyclingCycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
event is organised annually in his honour.
Palmarès
1942- Circuit d'Auray
1946
- national road race championship
- Paris-Reims
1948
- Paris–Tours
1949
- Ain-Temouchent
- GP de l'Echo d'Oran
- Tour de France1949 Tour de FranceThe 1949 Tour de France was the 36th Tour de France, taking place from 30 June to 24 July 1949. It consisted of 21 stages over 4808 km, ridden at an average speed of 32.121 km/h....
:- Winner stage 9
1952
- GP de la Bicicleta Eibarresa
1955
- Paris - Limoges
- Arras
- Tour de France1955 Tour de FranceThe 1955 Tour de France was the 42nd Tour de France, taking place from July 7 to July 30, 1955. It consisted of 22 stages over 4495 km, ridden at an average speed of 34.446 km/h....
:- Winner stage 14
1956
- Montluçon
- Circuit des Deux Ponts