Tour de France 1966: not a trip in shorts anymore

Even if you are not French, you might hear people talking a lot about the Tour de France. During the 24 days of the race, French people often talk excitedly about their cycling heroes like Anquetil, Poulidor, and Darrigade. It's interesting because, surprisingly, French people are not generally known for being big cyclists.

The Tour is a challenging race with 22 stages, and each stage covers a long distance, from over 80 miles to more than 170 miles. Thirteen European teams, including Tommy Simpson from England, started the race on 21 June and will finish on 14 July. The route goes through various cities and regions of France, including Nancy, Dunkirk, Bordeaux, and the Pyrenees, before heading to Italy and then back through central France.

The Tour de France is important in French life. It is the second biggest way, after horse racing, for people to stop thinking about politics and focus on something else. A government minister even said he could relax until after the national holiday because no one would be making political demands during the Tour.

The race is very commercial. The cyclists' uniforms are covered in brands, and they race through towns decorated with advertisements for beers, petrol, and cars. This commercial aspect is everywhere.

There's also the idea of national sporting pride and setting a good example for young people. The Tour has a long history, starting modestly but growing into an extreme test of endurance, using advanced training and equipment. The mountain stages in the French Alps are especially difficult.

This year’s Tour is significant because it’s Jacques Anquetil’s last race. It’s also the first time that using drugs is against the law, thanks to a new law passed just before the race started.

Jacques Anquetil, aged 34, is a legendary figure in cycling, similar to famous athletes in other sports. He won the Tour de France in 1957 and then won it for four consecutive years from 1961 to 1964. An anecdote tells of him overtaking a new Jaguar car going at 80 mph.

However, Anquetil recently faced a problem. After winning a race in Belgium, he refused a medical check and was fined and disqualified. This caused shock in France, while Italians were happy.

The situation with doping was serious. In another race, an Italian cyclist's test result was described as 'gravely positive,' and a German cyclist was also disqualified for refusing a test. Several other riders were also removed from the results.

It's unlikely that a rider of Anquetil's skill and experience relied heavily on illegal drugs. He might have used 'biological aids,' which are substances that help the body perform better. But the other cases made it clear to the French government that they needed to act quickly and pass a law about doping, which they had considered for some time.

In the past, French cyclists in the Pyrenees suffered from what was called 'food poisoning,' but it was suspected to be drug-related. Some shocking stories emerged, including one about an Italian cyclist who told a journalist he had taken a drug that caused temporary blindness. He later died by suicide.

In earlier times, athletes might have used substances like ether or alcohol. Today, they often use refined versions of amphetamines, similar to those used by pilots in World War II to stay alert for long periods. The intense financial interests involved have turned the Tour from a simple bike ride into a highly controlled, commercial event where cyclists are like cogs in a machine for big business. With the new law and checks during the race, the Tour is expected to change. Some sports writers are already saying this year's race is too boring.

On 15 July 1966, Lucien Aimar, a 25-year-old French cyclist, won the Tour de France by just over a minute. Although other riders were faster in the final part of the race, Aimar managed to keep the lead and win.