Antonin Magne Photo Gallery
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Antonin Magne (February 15, 1904 - September 8, 1983) is remembered for having won the Tour de France twice (1931, 1934) during the early 1930s, the golden years of French Tour dominance. Magne was a complete rider, capable of both climbing and time trialing with the best.
Tour de France boss Henri Desgrange was furious after an obviously ill Maurice De Waele won the 1929 Tour de France because the other Belgian riders, even those from other teams all united to push, guide and help De Waele win. For the 1930 edition Tour boss Desgrange instituted the national team format.
Now now longer scattered among several teams, all the fine French riders were on one team and for five years the completely dominant French won every edition of the Tour. Magne, backed up by a powerful French squad, seemed to win the 1931 Tour with ease.
His 1934 win came with the invaluable aid of teammate René Vietto, who twice gave up wheels from his own bike to Magne. Vietto famously wept after sacrificing his own chances.
Magne was a superb time trialist, not only winning the Tour's first time trial in 1934, but also winning the Grand Prix des Nations three times. The Grand Prix des Nations was then considered the unofficial time trial championship of the world.
After retiring from racing, Magne became a director sportif, famously wearing a white butcher's coat during races (see the last picture at the bottom of this page). He managed such famous racers as Louison Bobet and Raymond Poulidor.
Major victories:
1927:
- GP Wolber
1930:
- Paris-Vichy
- 3rd place Tour de France; stage 12 win
- 3rd place Paris-Roubaix
1931:
- Tour de France; stage 12 win
1934:
- Tour de France; stage 17 & 21b wins
- Grand Prix des Nations
1935:
- Grand Prix des Nations
1936:
- 2nd place Tour de France; stage 20b win
- Grand Prix des Nations
- World Road Championships
1938:
- Tour de France stages 10c & 21
Professional Teams:
1926: Méteore-Wolber
1926 - 1930: Alleluia-Wolber
1931: Unis Sport, France Sport in France, Ganna-Dunlop in Italy
1932 - France Sport-Dunlop
1933 - 1937: France Sport-Wolber
1938: France-Sport-Dunlop
1939: Mercier-Hutchinson, Magne-Hutchinson
1940 - 1941: Mercier-Hutchinson
Nicknames: Tonin le Taciturne (Tonin the Silent), The Monk
Photos:
Antonin Magne photographed at the 1929 Paris-Brussels race.
An undated picture of Magne
Magne in the 1930 Tour de France.
Antonin Magne descends the Tourmalet (note the road is unpaved) in the 1930 Tour de France.
Magne in stage four of the 1931 Tour de France
Magne on the Aubisque in the 1931 Tour de France. Magne won the stage, coming in almost five minutes ahead of second-place Antonio Pesenti. That put Magne in the lead by more than nine minutes.
Antonin Magne braves the rain in the 1931 Tour de France.
Magne in 1931, the year he won his first Tour de France.
Undated picture of Magne
Magne runs alongside André Leducq in the 1932 Tour de France. Magne did not ride the Tour that year and Leducq ended up winning the 1932 edition by 24 minutes.
1932: Antonin Magne in Rome attending the World Cycling Championships. Alfredo Binda won the Pro Road Race. Magne was the final finisher, 17th, at 13min 22sec
Magne is interviewed during the 1933 Tour de France. That year his teammate Georges Speicher won the Tour.
1934: Magne about to start the Tour de France first individual time trial, 90 kms from La Roche sur Yon to Nantes.
Antonin Magne and René Vietto take a lap of honor at the end of the 1934 Tour de France.
Antonin Magne in the 1934 Grand Prix des Nations time trial.
Magne after winning that 1934 Grand Prix des Nations
Antonin Magne in 1935
Antonin Magne at the 1935 Grand Prix des Nations, which he won.
After stage 13b of the 1936 Tour de France, the Nîmes - Montpellier 52 km Team Time Trial. The Belgians won the stage with Magne's French team coming second, at 57 seconds. In front, from left to right: Antonin Magne, Paul Maye and Maurice Archambaud. Bareley seen is René Le Grèves and drinking from a bottle is Robert Tanneveau.
Antonin Magne crests the Col d'Aspin in stage 16 of the 1936 Tour de France. He still had the Tourmalet and Aubisque ahead of him.
The French team with Magne time trials from Narbonne to Perpignan in the 1936 Tour de France.
André Leducq & Antonin Magne finish the final stage of the 1938 Tour de France together. They were awarded a joint victory for the stage. Both riders were riding the Tour for the last time.
Magne as a team manager pinning on Raymond Poulidor's number.