Cyclist Card #7 Jacques Anquetil

Jacques Anquetil

Jacques Anquetil (8 January 1934, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France – 18 November 1987, Rouen, France) (aged 53).

Jacques Anquetil remains one of the most outstanding figures in the history of cycling.

Jacques Anquetil was the first rider to win all three grand tours. Having already won the Tour three times and the Giro once, the 1963 Vuelta completed the set.

He won the Tour de France amazing five times.

Anquetil was a superb climber. Howerver, his victories in the Grand Tours were built on an exceptional ability to ride alone against the clock in individual time trial stages, which lent him the name "Monsieur Chrono".

In 1956, Anquetil made a one hour record - 46.159 km. Anquetil was using a 7m40 gear (52x15). In 1967 he again broke the hour record again, with 47.493 km, but the record was disallowed because he refused to take the newly-introduced post-race doping test. Anquetil rode a 52 × 13 gear. His split times:

- 0–5 km 6m 17.4
- 5–10 km 6m 19.6
- 10–15 km 6m 18.4

- 15–20 km 6m 19.8
- 20–25 km 6m 19.4
- 25–30 km 6m 19.0

- 30–35 km 6m 19.0
- 35–40 km 6m 18.2
- 40–45 km 6m 21

Anquetil vs Poulidor

One of the greatest sporting moments: Jacques Anquetil vs. Raymond Poulidor at the Puy de Dôme, Tour de France 1964.

"The two, at the extreme of their rivalry, climbing the road wrapped like a ribbon round the majestic volcano, terribly steep, in parallel action... I've always been convinced that in these moments that supreme player of poker, the Norman [Anquetil], used his craftiness and his fearless bluffing to win his fifth Tour. Because, to me, it was clear that Anquetil was at the very limit of his strength and that had Poulidor attacked him repeatedly and suddenly then he would have cracked... Although his advisers claim that his error in maintaining steady pressure rather than attacking was the result of using slightly too big a gear, which stopped his jumping away, I still think that it was in his head that Pou-Pou should have changed gears," said Jacques Goddet according to Wikipedia.

Stage 20: Sunday, July 12, 1964, Brive - Puy de Dôme, 237.5 km

Stage results

1. Julio Jiménez: 7hr 9min 33sec
2. Federico Bahamontes @ 11sec
3. Raymond Poulidor @ 57sec
4. Vittorio Adorni @ 1min 30sec
5. Jacques Anquetil @ 1min 39sec
6. Henry Anglade @ 1min 59sec
7. André Foucher @ 2min 4sec
8. Francisco Gabica @ 2min 32sec
9. Fernando Manzaneque @ 2min 46sec
10 Jan Janssen @ 3min 22sec

Generall Classification after Stage 20:

1. Jacques Anquetil: 113hr 25min 53sec
2. Raymond Poulidor @ 14sec
3. Federico Bahamontes @ 1min 33sec