24th Tour de France 1930

“New ideas! Bold Initiatives!”

“New ideas! Bold Initiatives!” were necessary to pull the Tour de France out of the relentless rut of tedium. Desgranges took a bold step in 1930 by eliminating the trade team system and instituting the National team structure.

The change did not come without a monetary cost. The elimination of the trade teams meant the elimination of the commercial sponsorship money. Each team's expenses had to be paid by the race's long time organizer, L'Auto newspaper. Part of the change meant each rider would be outfitted with a “yellow colored” bicycle. Desgranges, taking the advice of Pierre Thevenin (advertising manager of Menier Chocolates), came up with a masterstroke of advertising. He introduced the Tour's first “Caravane de Publicite” (publicity caravan). The publicity caravan tapped both the cycling industry, which had money to spend on advertising, and the non-cycling companies, who loved the opportunity to advertise with the popular Tour de France. For the advertising money invested in the Tour, the sponsor got the opportunity to show their products along the Tour's race route. The most popular sponsor in 1930 was Menier Chocolates. 500,000 cycling fans came early to their place along the route to get the chocolate handouts.

The national team format may have been a very necessary change, but it was revolutionary, untested concept. It took the exploits of a band of young French riders to make the Tour in 1930 a resounding success. Andre Leducq won two stages and took full control of the race lead in the Pyrenees Mountains . Antonin Magne rode to a third place finish and a spot on the podium in Paris . Charles Pelissier, youngest of the famous Pelissier brother, won eight stages.

Although the French team easily won the race in Paris , it did not come without drama along the way. The powerful Italian team featured “Campionissimo” Alfredo Binda. In the early stages of the race the Italians controlled the race. Their efforts began to crumble on the 222 km stage 7, “individual team departure” race, from Bordeaux to Hendaye. Team leader Alfredo Binda crashed heavily and lost more than an hour and dropped out of contention in the overall classification. Showing his pride and talent Binda roared back to win stages 8 and 9, but the pain of his injuries became too much and he sadly abandoned on stage 10.

Andre Leducq rolled into Parc des Princes Velodrome in Paris victoriously. With Leducq's victory, the French fans had excitement restored to their Tour.

The national team format was clearly a success. The French were again rushing out to buy their daily L'Auto. Henri Desgranges had to be very pleased with the result achieved in 1930, but it remains unclear how he truly felt about the French teamwork. Individual heroism was abandoned and each French team member rode for team not individual. Regardless of how anyone felt, bottom line of the results, the Tour de France was back on track.

Return to the Timeline ToC

Return to the Race Snippets ToC

“Age and treachery will overcome youth and skill.”
Fausto Coppi, Italian
"Champion of Champions"