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By Barry Boyce
CyclingRevealed Historian
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War Looms Large, But The Tour Goes On!
The already hot political atmosphere in Europe was speeding toward the boiling point in Europe. The inevitability of another World War loomed large on the horizon, but the fear did not diminish the massive enthusiasm of the fans of the Tour de France (TdF) .
SPECIAL NOTE: Author Henri Troyat wrote, “I'm so glad that now that summer is approaching we have an event that makes us forget the dark political events that are taking place. The Tour de France is something of an armistice of the heart.”
To the delight of the French fans Rene Vietto got off to his best start in years. He took the Maillot Jaune on stage 4 and bravely fought off the challenge of Sylvere Maes during the Pyrenees Mountain stages. Fighting the effects of a head-cold, Vietto held the lead across the mid-section of France and to the base of the Alpine climbing stages.
Stage 15 from Digne to Briancon featured the dramatic climbs of the Col d'Allos, Col du Vars, and mighty Col d'Izoard. This was the stage In 1938 that saw Italian Gino Bartali demolish the field and win the Tour. Sylvere Maes remembered the move and initiated his own attack in 1939. Slowly he pulled away from the ailing race leader. As the altitude got higher the more labored Vietto's breathing became. In Briancon Maes had beaten Vietto by over 18 minutes and destroyed the popular Frenchman's change at the General Classification.
Maes rode into Paris with a grand Tour victory. His dominating performance also gave him the climber's King of the Mountain ('Best Climber') prize. Rene Vietto did struggle into Paris, but did manage to hold onto second place overall.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 PARIS-CAEN, 215 km |
Amedee Fournier (Fra) |
Amedee Fournier (Fra) |
Stage 2a CAEN-VIRE, 63.5 km ITT |
Romain Maes (Bel) |
Romain Maes (Bel) |
Stage 2b VIRE-RENNES, 119 km |
Eloi Tassin (Fra) |
Jean Fontenay (Fra) |
Stage 3 RENNES-BREST, 244 km |
Pierre Cloarec (Fra) |
Jean Fontenay (Fra) |
Stage 4 BREST-LORIENT, 174 km |
Raymond Louviot (Fra) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 5 LORIENT-NANTES, 207 km |
Amedee Fournier (Fra) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 6a NANTES-LA ROCHELLE, 144 km |
Lucien Storme (Bel) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 6b LA ROCHELLE-ROYAN, 107 km |
Edmond Pages (Fra) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 7 ROYAN-BORDEAUX, 198 km |
Raymond Passat (Fra) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 8a BORDEAUX-SALIES DE BEARN , 211 km |
Marcel Kint (Bel) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 8b SALIES DE BEARN-PAU, 68 km ITT |
Karl Litschi (Sui) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 9 PAU-TOULOUSE, 311 km |
Edward Vissers (Bel) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 10a TOULOUSE-NARBONNE, 148 km |
Pierre Jaminet (Fra) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 10b NARBONNE-BEZIERS, 27 km |
Maurice Archambaud (Fra) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 10c BEZIERS-MONTPELLIER, 71 km |
Maurice Archambaud (Fra) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 11 MONTPELLIER-MARSEILLE, 212 km |
Fabien Galateau (Fra) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 12a MARSEILLE-ST RAPHAEL, 157 km |
Francois Neuens (Lux) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 12b ST RAPHAEL-MONACO, 101 km |
Maurice Archambaud (Fra) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 13 MONACO-MONACO, 101 km |
Pierre Gallien (Fra) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 14 MONACO-DIGNE, 175 km |
Pierre Cloarec (Fra) |
Rene Vietto (Fra) |
Stage 15 DIGNE-BRIANCON, 219 km |
Sylvere Maes (Bel) |
Sylvere Maes (Bel) |
Stage 16a BRIANCON-BRIANCON, 126 km |
Pierre Jaminet (Fra) |
Sylvere Maes (Bel) |
Stage 16b BONNEVAL-BOURG ST MAURICE, 64 km ITT |
Sylvere Maes (Bel) |
Sylvere Maes (Bel) |
Stage 16c BOURG ST MAURICE-ANNECY, 103 km |
Antoon Van Schendel (Ned) |
Sylvere Maes (Bel) |
Stage 17a ANNECY-DOLE, 226 km |
Francois Neuens (Lux) |
Sylvere Maes (Bel) |
Stage 17b ANNECY-DIJON, 59 km ITT |
Maurice Archambaud (Fra) |
Sylvere Maes (Bel) |
Stage 18a DIJON-TROYES, 151 km |
Rene Le Greves (Fra) |
Sylvere Maes (Bel) |
Stage 18b TROYES-PARIS/Parc des Princes, 201 km |
Marcel Kint (Bel) |
 Sylvere Maes (Bel)
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BEST CLIMBER PRIZE |
Sylvere Maes (Bel) |
| TdF July 10-July 30, 1939 |
| 4,226 Km |
1.
Sylvere MAES (Bel) 132h03'17" |
2.
Rene Vietto (Fra) +30'38" |
3.
Lucien Vlaemynck (Bel) +32'08" |
Starters: 79 |
Finishers: 49 |
Average Speed: 31.986 km/h |
TdF 1938
TdF 1940-46 "TdF Style" Racing during WW2
TdF 1947
Return to the Timeline ToC
Return to the Race Snippets ToC |
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33rd Tour de France 1939
