Introduction:
In this new series of blogs I will be shedding some light on stories from the cycle-sphere that are potentially lesser-known, certainly new to me and stories that I think should have a bit more coverage than what my experience of perusing cycling stories has suggested they currently have. In this first blog, we have the tales of Alfonsina Strada, Luis Ocana's 1971 Tour de France and The 1919 Tour that I will be calling the Tour of Hell for reasons that will be explained.
Alfonsina Strada
In the annals of cycling history, few stories are as inspiring and revolutionary as that of Alfonsina Strada. Her participation in the 1924 Giro d'Italia wasn't just a personal triumph; it was a ground-breaking moment for women in sports. This blog post delves into the incredible story of Alfonsina Strada, a woman who defied norms and faced formidable challenges to ride alongside men in one of cycling's most gruelling races.
Born in 1891 in Castelfranco Emilia, Italy, Alfonsina Strada's passion for cycling ignited at an early age. In an era when cycling was predominantly a male sport, Alfonsina's love for the pedal was evident. She began racing at 13 and quickly made a name for herself, not just for participating, but for competing fiercely against her male counterparts.
The 1924 Giro d'Italia:
The 1924 Giro d'Italia is where Alfonsina's story takes a legendary turn. There was a reduced number of participants because the top riders of the time refused to take part so the organizers opened the race to anyone and promised to pay all of the riders bills, just as the Tour de France had done. This inadvertently allowed Alfonsina to enter since she had entered as Strada, Alfonsin to mask her gender. Everybody assumed her to be a man due to the absence of the defining 'a' on the end of her name and the truth only surfaced a day prior to the start of the race. By then it was too late to change anything so Alfonsina seized the opportunity.
Alfonsina's participation was met with mixed reactions – awe and admiration from some, ridicule and disbelief from others. The 3,613-kilometer race was a brutal test of endurance over 12 stages. Alfonsina battled not only the challenging terrain and harsh weather conditions but also the scepticism of those who thought women did not belong in such a gruelling sport. There were multiple setbacks along the way, including a crash during a gale that broke her handlebars and was fixed by a local who jammed a broomstick into the hole. She was disqualified from officially competing due to missing the cut-off time in this particular stage thanks to the mechanical but by this time there were spectators and reporters who had caught wind of her efforts and were waiting along the route to see her and write about her. Alfonsina was allowed to ride the remaining stages without prize money or paid bills. The next day, she was lifted above the crowd after finishing the stage 25 minutes outside the time limit and in excruciating pain from her crash the day before. This inspired her to finish the remaining stages to Milan.
Legacy and Impact:
Alfonsina Strada's participation in the 1924 Giro d'Italia was more than just a personal achievement; it was a symbolic victory against the gender barriers of the time and the Italian fascist sentiment of her participation being an assault on manliness. Although she was not listed in the official results, her performance earned her widespread recognition and 50,000 lire in the final prize. Alfonsina finished the race with a time that would have placed her 36th out of the 90 starters, a remarkable feat considering the circumstances. Her legacy extended far beyond the race itself. Alfonsina became a symbol of perseverance and resilience, inspiring women across the globe. She challenged the perception of women in sports, particularly in endurance and strength-based disciplines like cycling.
Post-Giro, Alfonsina continued to race, though she never again participated in the Giro d'Italia. Her life after the race was dedicated to cycling, either competing in women's races or performing in exhibition events. She remained a celebrated figure in Italian cycling and continued to be an advocate for women in the sport until her death in 1959.
Today, the story of Alfonsina Strada resonates with particular poignancy. While women's cycling has made significant strides since Alfonsina's days, her story reminds us of the ongoing struggle for equality in sports. Her courage and determination paved the way for future generations of female cyclists, encouraging them to break barriers and redefine what is possible.
Conclusion:
Alfonsina Strada's journey in the 1924 Giro d'Italia is a testament to the human spirit's capacity to defy odds and challenge stereotypes. Her story is bigger than that of cycling and as we celebrate her legacy, we are reminded of the importance of continuing to push for equality and representation in all sports.
Luis Ocaña's 1971 Tour
The 1971 Tour de France is etched in cycling history, not only for its high drama but also for the heart-wrenching story of Luis Ocaña, a man on the verge of dethroning the great Eddy Merckx. Ocaña's race is a tale of shattered dreams, resilience, and the unforgiving nature of professional cycling.
Luis Ocaña, a Spanish cyclist, was not just another contender; he was a force to be reckoned with in the 70s. Known for his climbing prowess and aggressive racing style, Ocaña had shown his brilliance in previous races, having won a stage in 1970, placing himself on the podium in TT's, winning the Vuelta and Dauphiné also in 1970, as well as 3rd in the Vuelta, 3rd in Paris-Nice and 2nd in the Dauphiné leading up to the Tour of '71. All this meant he had done a nice job of positioning himself as a serious threat to Merckx's dominance of the previous 2 editions of the Tour.
The 1971 Tour de France:
The 1971 edition of the Tour de France was highly anticipated, with Merckx, the reigning champion, expected to breeze to victory. However, from the early stages, it became clear that Ocaña was not only going to challenge Merckx but potentially defeat him.
Ocaña's performance in the early mountain stages were good but not enough to spark debate about the fate of the race just yet. He had won up the Puy de Dome, defeating Merckx by 15 seconds and then again put 30 seconds into him on Stage 10 to Grenoble. However, it was his ride in the Pyrenees that was nothing short of spectacular. On stage 11, he attacked and finished alone to win in Orcieres-Merlette by nearly 6 minutes. He put significant time into Merckx, 8 minutes and 42 seconds to be exact. By stage 14, Ocaña had a commanding lead of over eight minutes on Joop Zoetemelk who sat in second, and almost unthinkable margin of nearly 10 minutes over the Belgian superstar who lay in 5th.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck on stage 14, during a treacherous descent in the rain from the Col de Mente. Merckx crashed first in the wet but wasn't hurt and continued without problems. Ocaña, on the other hand crashed more heavily, and while he was initially able to get up, Joop Zoetemelk came flying round the corner with a puncture and was unable to avoid a collision with the already hurt Ocaña. Eddy Merckx also said that soon after, Joaquim Agostinho also did not have time to dodge Ocaña and hit him and Luis fell into a coma and was taken to the hospital.
The Impact of Ocaña's Withdrawal:
Ocaña's withdrawal was a turning point in the 1971 Tour. It left the cycling world wondering about what could have been. For many, this race would always carry the asterisk of Ocaña's absence in the final stages, including Merckx himself who refused to go to the jersey presentation at the end of stage 14 and to wear the yellow jersey the next day out of respect for his rival. He initially wanted to leave the race in order to avoid winning due to the absence of Ocaña but was convinced by the race organisers to continue likely because they couldn't afford to lose the two biggest names in the Tour that year in the space of days. Merckx went on to win the race by 10 minutes with 4 stage wins and the green jersey, his 3rd victory in a row.
Ocaña's Resilience and Legacy:
Despite the heartbreak of 1971, Ocaña's career was far from over. He went on to win the 1973 Tour de France with 6 stage wins, and the Dauphiné twice, proving his mettle and resilience. His rivalry with Merckx added a rich chapter to cycling's history, showcasing the sport's unpredictable nature and the thin line between victory and defeat.
Reflections:
The story of Luis Ocaña in the 1971 Tour de France is a poignant reminder of the unpredictability of sports and the courage of athletes who push their limits. While the record books may show Merckx as the winner, for many cycling enthusiasts, the heroism and tragedy of Ocaña's near-victory remain an unforgettable story of a rider who had the ability to beat the greatest of all time head to head.
The Tour of Hell, 1919
The 1919 Tour de France stands as one of the most challenging editions in the history of the race. Held just after the end of World War I, this Tour was a test of athletic prowess as well as a stark illustration of the resilience required to endure in the face of hardship.
The Backdrop of War:
The 1919 Tour de France was the first edition held after the four-year hiatus due to World War I. The war had left France and much of Europe in ruins, with the physical and emotional scars evident across the landscape and in the hearts of the people.
The conditions of the 1919 Tour were harsh and unforgiving. Much of the route traversed roads that had been devastated by the war. The riders faced a landscape pockmarked with shell craters, unexploded ordnance, and remnants of war machinery. Basic infrastructure like roads and bridges had been destroyed, forcing cyclists to navigate through rough terrain, largely uncharted by the race organisation.
On top of the state of the country at this time, 1919 was marked by extreme weather conditions. The riders battled through rain, cold, and wind, which compounded the physical strain of long stages that averaged over 400 kilometers. The toll on their bodies was immense, leading to numerous abandonments within the first few days and can be seen in the average speed of the winner (24.056 km/h).
Only 69 riders started the 1919 Tour, a stark contrast to the pre-war editions and by stage 4 only 25 remained. Many potential competitors had either perished in the war such as former winners, François Faber, Octave Lapize and Lucien Petit-Breton, or were still recovering from its effects. The winner, Firmin Lambot of Belgium, and all of the other 10 finishers demonstrated extraordinary tenacity to finish this punishing race. This is the lowest number of finishers in the races history and it's not hard to see why. The organisation didn't make it any easier than the previous editions despite the lack of time to train, in fact, they made it the longest tour to date and included a stage to Strasbourg that had recently been recovered by France. To this day, it remains as the second longest Tour (5560km) after the 1926 edition (5745km).
It was before stage 11 at 2am on 18th July 1919 that Henri Desgrange (the organiser) would hand out the first yellow jersey because he thought there needed to be a more distinct marker for the leader of the race. By far the most popular theory is because the pages of the race sponsors newspaper, L'Auto, were yellow but it could also be because the colours available were limited in the post-war era. Eugene Christophe was the first to get the iconic jersey although he wasn't so pleased with it because he thought he looked silly and other riders said he looked like a canary. It looked a lot like he was going to hold his lead until the finish of the race however on the penultimate stage, he broke his forks chasing Firmin Lambot, who was in second at the time. Since the rules stated there could be no outside help, he had to fix them himself. It took him 2.5 hours and he lost all chance of victory. This was almost the exact same scenario that cost him the win in 1913; Christophe had to walk 10km to fix his forks himself at the forge in Sainte Marie de Campan at the foot of the Tourmalet. The same thing would happen again in 1922, where he would have to walk over the entire Col du Galibier before he could fix them.
The Symbolism of the 1919 Tour:
The 1919 Tour de France was more than just a bike race; it was a symbol of human resilience in the face of adversity, demonstrated through the many individual stories that littered this edition and couldn't possibly all fit into one article. The legacy of the 1919 Tour de France lives on as a testament to the unyielding human spirit. The cyclists who took part in this edition faced conditions that are never seen today, making their feats all the more remarkable.
Final Words:
I hope you enjoyed reading this article. If you did, let me know on social media and I will do more parts with some new stories.