1936 Tour de France explained

1936 Tour de France
Date:7 July – 2 August 1936
Stages:21, including five split stages
Distance:4442
Unit:km
Time:142h 47' 32"
First:Sylvère Maes
First Nat:BEL
First Color:yellow
First Team:Belgium
Second:Antonin Magne
Second Nat:FRA
Second Team:France
Third:Félicien Vervaecke
Third Nat:BEL
Third Team:Belgium
Team:Belgium
Mountains:Julián Berrendero
Mountains Nat:ESP
Mountains Natvar:1931
Mountains Team:Spain/Luxembourg
Previous:1935
Next:1937

The 1936 Tour de France was the 30th edition of the Tour de France, taking place from 7 July to 2 August. It was composed of 21 stages with a total length of 4442km (2,760miles). Because of health problems, Henri Desgrange stopped as Tour director, and was succeeded by Jacques Goddet.

The race was won by Belgian cyclist Sylvère Maes. In the early stages, he battled with French Maurice Archambaud, until Archambaud lost many minutes on the eighth stage. Maes was then able to create a large margin with his new closest competitor Magne and teammate Vervaecke.[1]

The team classification was won by the Belgian team, and Spanish cyclist Julián Berrendero won the mountains classification. There was also a one-time classification, based on points, that was won by Sylvère Maes.

Innovations and changes

For the first time, a stage was divided into three parts.The race director at the start of the race was still Henri Desgrange, who had been race director since the first Tour de France in 1903. Desgrange, who was already 71 years old, had had kidney surgery weeks before the start of the Tour, but was determined to follow the Tour, and rode in a car full of cushions. After the second stage, he stopped, and made Jacques Goddet director. The individuals category which had been used in 1935 was not used in 1936.

The introduction of the summer holiday in France in 1936 meant that the number of spectators on the roadside increased.

The bonification system was the same as in 1935. This meant that the winner of a stage received 90 seconds, and the second cyclist 45 seconds. In addition, the winner received a bonification equal to the margin between him and the second cyclist, with a maximum of 2 minutes. The last bonification system was also used for the first cyclist to reach a mountain top that counted for the mountains classification.

Teams

See main article: List of teams and cyclists in the 1936 Tour de France.

The riders were divided into two categories: the national teams and the touriste-routiers. There were four big national teams with 10 cyclists each: the Belgian team, the German team, the Spanish/Luxembourgian team and the French team. There were also five small teams of 4 cyclists each: the Swiss team, the Dutch team, the Yugoslavian team, the Romanian team and the Austrian team.[2] For the Dutch, Yugoslavian and Romanian teams, it was the first participation ever.[3] The Italian team was absent for political reasons (the Second Italo-Abyssinian War). An Italian team consisting of Italians living in France had been allowed to the race and even had jersey numbers designated, but finally the Tour organisers changed their minds.

The teams entering the race were:

Route and stages

Stages 13b, 14b, 18b, 19b and 20b were all run in the team-time-trial format. The highest point of elevation in the race was 2556m (8,386feet) at the summit tunnel of the Col du Galibier mountain pass on stage 7.[4]

Stage characteristics and winners[5] [6] [7]
StageDateCourseDistanceTypeWinner
17 July258km (160miles) Plain stage
28 July192km (119miles) Plain stage
39 July161km (100miles) Plain stage
410 July220km (140miles) Stage with mountain(s)
511 July298km (185miles) Plain stage
12 JulyÉvian-les-BainsRest day
613 July212km (132miles) Stage with mountain(s)
714 July230km (140miles) Stage with mountain(s)
815 July194km (121miles) Stage with mountain(s)
916 July220km (140miles) Stage with mountain(s)
17 JulyDigneRest day
1018 July156km (97miles) Plain stage
1119 July126km (78miles) Stage with mountain(s)
20 JulyCannesRest day
1221 July195km (121miles) Plain stage
13a22 July112km (70miles) Plain stage
13b52km (32miles)
14a23 July103km (64miles) Plain stage
14b63km (39miles)
24 JulyPerpignanRest day
1525 July325km (202miles) Stage with mountain(s)
14 JulyLuchonRest day
1627 July194km (121miles) Stage with mountain(s)
28 JulyPauRest day
1729 July229km (142miles) Plain stage
18a30 July117km (73miles) Plain stage
18b75km (47miles)
19a31 July81km (50miles) Plain stage
19b65km (40miles)
19c67km (42miles) Plain stage
20a1 August204km (127miles) Plain stage
20b55km (34miles)
212 AugustCaen to Paris 234km (145miles) Plain stage
Total4442km (2,760miles)

Race overview

See main article: 1936 Tour de France, Stage 1 to Stage 13b and 1936 Tour de France, Stage 14a to Stage 21. Swiss Paul Egli won the first stage, and thereby became the first Swiss cyclist to lead the general classification in the Tour de France. That first stage was run in terrible rain. In the second stage, the cyclists were split in two parts, and Egli was in the second part. Archambaud then took over the lead. Archambaud lost it to Luxembourgian Mersch in the next stage, but recaptured the lead when he won the fourth stage.

The competition really started in the mountains of the seventh stage. Belgian Romain Maes, the winner of the 1935 Tour, was first over the first mountain, but then gave up, a victim of chronic bronchitis. On the next climb, Georges Speicher, winner of the 1930 Tour, gave up. Archambaud was still in the lead after that stage. The stage was won by Theo Middelkamp, who became the first Dutch cyclist to win a Tour stage. Before the 1936 Tour, Middelkamp had never seen a mountain in his life.[8]

In the eighth stage, Archambaud could not follow anymore, and Sylvère Maes took over the lead. In third place was Antonin Magne, who had a good chance to win the race.Magne attacked on the next stage, but could not drop Maes. Later, Magne had to let the leading group get away, and lost a minute to Maes.

The stages between the Alps and the Pyrenees were partly run as team time trials. The Belgian team was superior here, and Magne lost more time. When it was time for the Pyrenees, he was eight minutes behind Maes.

In stage 15, the podium did not change, so it had to happen in stage 16, the last mountain stage. Magne attacked, but was unable to win back time. Maes was better, and including time bonuses Maes won eighteen minutes on Magne in that stage.

In that stage, Belgian Félicien Vervaecke had borrowed a bicycle with derailleur. It was allowed for touriste-routiers, but not for national team members, and he was fined with ten minutes penalty time in the general classification. Magne also got 10 minutes penalty time, for having received food when it was not allowed. Due to this penalty, Vervaecke lost his second place in the general classification, which Magne took over.[5]

In the last part of the race, Maes extended his lead thanks to the team time trials, although the French team was finally also able to win one.

Classification leadership and minor prizes

The time that each cyclist required to finish each stage was recorded, and these times were added together for the general classification. If a cyclist had received a time bonus, it was subtracted from this total; all time penalties were added to this total. The cyclist with the least accumulated time was the race leader, identified by the yellow jersey.

For the mountain classification, 16 mountains were selected by the Tour organisation. On the top of these mountains, ten points were given for the first cyclist to pass, nine points to the second cyclist, and so on, until the tenth cyclist who got one point.

There was also a points classification, for which the winner received 100.000 French Francs.[9]

The team classification was calculated in 1936 by adding up the times of the best three cyclists of a team; the team with the least time was the winner. The other teams that started the race, the German, Swiss, Yugoslavian, Romanian and Austrian teams, did not finish with the minimum three cyclists to be eligible for the team classification.[5]

Classification leadership by stage[10]
StageWinnerGeneral classification
Mountains classificationClassification for touriste-routiersTeam classification
1Paul EgliPaul Eglino awardDécimo BettiniFrance
2Robert WierinckxMaurice ArchambaudBelgium
3Mathias ClemensArsène MerschYvan Marie
4Maurice ArchambaudMaurice ArchambaudFédérico Ezquerra
5René Le GrevèsSylvain Marcaillou
6Éloi MeulenbergYvan Marie
7Theo Middelkamp
8Jean-Marie GoasmatSylvère MaesJean-Marie Goasmat
9Léon LevelJulián BerrenderoLéon LevelLuxembourg/Spain
10Paul Maye
11Fédérico EzquerraFédérico Ezquerra
12René Le GrevèsBelgium
13aRené Le Grevès
13bSylvère Maes
14aRené Le Grevès
14bSylvère Maes
15Sauveur DucazeauxJulián Berrendero
16Sylvère Maes
17René Le Grevès
18aÉloi Meulenberg
18bSylvère Maes
19aMarcel Kint
19bFélicien Vervaecke
19cPaul Maye
20aRené Le Grevès
20bAntonin Magne
21Arsène Mersch
FinalSylvère MaesJulián BerrenderoLéon LevelBelgium

Final standings

General classification

Final general classification (1–10)[11]
RankRiderTeamTime
1Belgium 142h 47' 32"
2France + 26' 55"
3Belgium + 27' 53"
4Spain/Luxembourg + 42' 42"
5Spain/Luxembourg + 52' 52"
6Spain/Luxembourg + 1h 03' 04"
7Spain/Luxembourg + 1h 10' 44"
8Switzerland + 1h 19' 13"
9Belgium + 1h 22' 25"
10Touriste-routier + 1h 27' 57"

Mountains classification

Mountains in the mountains classification
StageRiderHeightMountain rangeWinner
4Ballon d'Alsace1178m (3,865feet)VosgesFédérico Ezquerra
6Aravis1498m (4,915feet)AlpsFédérico Ezquerra
7Galibier2556m (8,386feet)AlpsFédérico Ezquerra
8Côte de Laffrey900m (3,000feet)AlpsJulián Berrendero
9Izoard2361m (7,746feet)AlpsSylvère Maes
9Vars2110m (6,920feet)AlpsJulián Berrendero
9Allos2250m (7,380feet)AlpsJulián Berrendero
11Braus1002m (3,287feet)Alps-MaritimesFélicien Vervaecke
11La Turbie555m (1,821feet)Alps-MaritimesFédérico Ezquerra
15Puymorens1920m (6,300feet)PyreneesFédérico Ezquerra
15Port1249m (4,098feet)PyreneesFélicien Vervaecke
15Portet d'Aspet1069m (3,507feet)PyreneesSauveur Ducazeaux
16Peyresourde1569m (5,148feet)PyreneesJulián Berrendero
16Aspin1489m (4,885feet)PyreneesYvan Marie
16Tourmalet2115m (6,939feet)PyreneesSylvère Maes
16Aubisque1709m (5,607feet)PyreneesSylvère Maes
Final mountains classification (1–5)
RankRiderTeamPoints
1Spain/Luxembourg132
2Belgium 112
3Spain/Luxembourg99
4Belgium95
5France65

Classification for 100.000 francs

Final standings (1–3)
RankRiderTeamPoints
1Belgium11
2Spain/Luxembourg8
2Touriste-routier8

Team classification

Final team classification (1–5)[12] [13]
RankTeamTime
1Belgium 430h 12' 54"
2Spain/Luxembourg + 48' 20"
3France + 2h 19' 40"
4Netherlands + 5h 23' 28"
5Switzerland + 9h 54' 01"

Aftermath

The stage victory of the Dutch team convinced the Tour organisation to invite them in 1937 again.

Bibliography

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Belgian Team Strength – Sylvere Wins!. Barry Boyce. 2004. Cycling revealed. 11 January 2010.
  2. Web site: The history of the Tour de France – Year 1936 – The starters. Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. 2 April 2020.
  3. Web site: Tour-giro-vuelta. 8 January 2010. Michiel van Lonkhuyzen.
  4. News: De Ronde van Frankrijk. The Tour de France. Limburger Koerier. 17 July 1936. 3. nl. Delpher.
  5. Web site: 30ème Tour de France 1936 . Mémoire du cyclisme . fr . 5 October 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090709115427/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1903_1939/tdf1935.php . 9 July 2009 . dead .
  6. Web site: Tour de France GC top ten . Arian Zwegers . CVCC . https://web.archive.org/web/20080516071832/http://www.cvccbike.com/tour/top_ten.html . 16 May 2008 . live . 20 April 2009 .
  7. Web site: The history of the Tour de France – Year 1936 – The stage winners. Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. 2 April 2020.
  8. Web site: Theo Middelkamp. 22 March 2006. 11 January 2010. Tourdefrance.nl. https://web.archive.org/web/20120308104430/http://www.wielercentrum.com/tourdefrance/achtergronden/nederlandsehelden/Theo-Middelkamp-605.html. 8 March 2012. dead.
  9. News: Clasificación para la prima de los 100.000 francos. 1. es. 3 July 1935. El mundo deportivo. 2 October 2009.
  10. Web site: van den Akker. Pieter. Informatie over de Tour de France van 1936. Information about the Tour de France from 1936. https://web.archive.org/web/20190302050015/http://www.tourdefrancestatistieken.nl/tour.php?jaar=1936. 2 March 2019. nl. TourDeFranceStatistieken.nl. 2 March 2019. live.
  11. Web site: The history of the Tour de France – Year 1936 – Stage 21 Caen > Paris. Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. 2 April 2020. 2 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200402220244/http://histo.letour.fr/HISTO/us/TDF/1936/2100/etape.html. dead.
  12. News: La Vuelta a Francia desde M. Garin, 1903, a Sylvere Maes. es. 5 August 1936. Mundo Deportivo. 2. https://web.archive.org/web/20120731194424/http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD02/HEM/1935/07/29/MD19350729-002.pdf. 31 July 2012. live.
  13. Web site: 1936: Sylvère takes over where Romain left off. Tom James. 15 August 2003. 5 October 2009.