Dienstag, 27. Dezember 2011

Leibesübungen (1): Le Tour in den 1930er Jahren

Joseph Roth antwortete einst auf die Frage eines anderen Kaffeehausgastes im niederländischen Zandvoort aan Zee, ob er denn auch im Meer schwimme: “Gehen denn Fische ins Café?” Während also so mancher unserer Gäste eher einer “no sports” Philosophie nachstrebt, sind wir doch selbst Befürworter körperlicher Ertüchtigung, am liebsten an frischer Luft, um Körper und Geist in Einklang zu bringen.

Heute eine Ehrbezeugung an die "Helden der Landstraße" mit einem Artikel, der im Juli 2010 auf Dieselpunks.org gepostet wurde:

July is traditionally the month of the Tour de France. Reason enough to look back at the heroes of road in the 1930s, at a time when roads were predominantly dirt tracks, derailleur use wasn't allowed and competitors carried their spare tire wrapped around their shoulders.

The 1930s saw further commercialization of the Tour with some radical changes compared to the competition in the 1920s. Cycle manufacturers' teams were replaced by national squads of eight riders, picked by Tour inventor Henri Desgrange and paid by the Tour. Everyone would ride identical bikes. And the publicity caravan was introduced to make up the cash shortfall from the absence of the cycle-makers and their teams.
Until 1937, the derailleur systems allowing riders to change gears without removing their wheels were not allowed despite them being widely used by the public. This left riders to get off and turn their wheel around every time the road changed from uphill to downhill.


Federico Ezquerra from Spain in the Tour of 1934.


Cover of VU magazine, 30 July 1930


1930s conté crayon drawing by René "Pellos" Pellarin.


André Leducq won the Tour de France in 1930 and 1932.


1930s Art Deco design by A. M. Cassandre for Dubonnet showing a tour racer sipping the light and refraissant French aperitif.


In stage 16 of the 1930 Tour Benoit Faure and André Leducq approach the summit of the Col du Galibier.


Antonin Magne on the downhill from the Tourmalet in 1930.


Gino Bartali (right) and a French rider in the 1930 Tour.


André Leducq and Adolf Schoen in 1930.

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