Procycling Magazine. 2010. 1928 Tour De france and Victor Fontan.

One of the most memorable trips I've ever done with a vintage bicycle. Tracing the history of Victor Fontan. A man who changed the course of the Tour De France in 1928. It started when I found myself owning an original racing bicycle with this famous rider’s name on its head-badge including a transfer referring to a 387km stage won by him. Victor was born, lived and raced in the Pyrenees mountains and the epic Col du Tourmalet was his training ground. 

He led the 1929 Tour de France until the front forks of his bicycle broke, and later dropped out after knocking at doors at night to ask people for another bicycle. His plight led to a change of rules to prevent this happening again. He was also one of three riders who all wore the yellow jersey of leadership on the same day, the only time it has happened.

Procycling magazine got in touch with Gunn & Co wanting to ride a 100 year old bicycle over the Col de Tourmalet to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Tour De France using this famous climb. I mentioned to them about Victor Fontan and that I had one on his bicycles and before I knew it, I was flying out to Toulouse with it in a box. I met the author of the article ‘Peter Cossins’ and his photographer at a house near to where Victor had lived. The next day and knowing nothing more we asked the local tourist office and they suggested we search the cemetery. A local elderly chap spotted us walk in with the bicycle both dressed as period cyclists, so we asked if he knew of Victor Fontan’s grave. He said he was buried next to his father and took us straight to him. Quite a surreal and very moving experience. We tilted our cotton caps and paid our respects, then that afternoon, we rode the bicycle between us to the top of the Col du Tourmalet. It was a very moving and tough day.