André Leducq Photo Gallery
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André Leducq (born February 27, 1904) was one of the greatest riders to ever turn a pedal in anger.
As an amateur, he was a gold medalist in the 1924 Olympic team time trial. In 1927 he became amateur world road champion.
Leducq turned pro in 1927. That year he was fourth in the Tour de France, winning four stages. He was just getting started. In 1928 he was second in the Tour and won Paris-Roubaix.
He went on to win the Tour in both 1930 and 1932.
Leducq's 1930 Tour win is the stuff of legend. In stage 16 Leducq crashed badly, losing consciousness. When he came to, his teammates (this was the first year of national teams) rallied around him, got him on his bike and proceeded to drag him to the finish.
A few kilometers later Leducq broke a pedal and crashed again.
Leducq wept, calling for his mother. Teammate Bidot managed to get a pedal from a spectator's bike. Leducq's leg was a bloody mess from the crash. He was probably suffering from shock after the 2 falls.
Surrounded by his teammates, he talked of abandoning. Teammate Pélissier would hear none of it. Jean-Paul Ollivier in Maillot Jaune relates:
"You don't give up when you've got the Yellow Jersey to take care of. Are you listening to me Dédé? We're all going to go flat out; you'll stick with us and we'll take you up to Guerra [a contender who was up the road]."
They did just that. Guerra was caught and Leducq won the stage and the 1930 Tour.
Leducq retired in 1938. He died in Marseille in 1980.
Major professional victories and high placings:
- 1927: 2nd Vuelta al Pais Vasco
- 1928: Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Le Havre, 2nd Tour de France (winning four stages)
- 1929: 5 Tour de France stages
- 1930: Tour de France (winning two stages)
- 1931: Paris-Tours
- 1932: Tour de France (winning six stages)
- 1933: Critérium National
- 1934: Critérium des As
- 1938: Tour de France stage 21
Nickname: Dédé
Photos:
1922, Versailles: André Leducq is Junior French Champion
1924: André Leducq leading Armand Blanchonnet in a race near Paris.
Leducq's Velo Club Levallois in 1924. Leducq is second from the right.
1928 Tour de France, after stage 19: André Leducq and eventual winner Nicolas Frantz enjoy a little brew.
Another shot of Leducq at the 1928 Tour de France.
Leducq wins the 17th stage of the 1929 Tour ahead of Frans Bonduel
Leducq wins the 1928 Paris-Roubaix
André Leducq and Benoît Faure in stage 15 of the 1930 Tour de France. The stage was won by Learco Guerra. Faure was second, Leducq third.
Don't have an exact date for this one, but it should be the early 1930s, probably 1931. André Leducq (left) is with Tour founder Henri Desgrange
Leducq in 1931
The French National team during the 1932 Tour de France. André Leducq is the rider on the far left.
1932 Tour de France Leducq (right) with Belgian rider Geroges Ronsse
André Leducq poses for a photo in the 1932 Tour.
End of the 1932 Tour de France: André Leducq with second-place Kurt Stoepel
Another shot of Leducq at the 1932 Tour's end at the Parc des Princes velodrome in Paris.
Leducq rode Alcyon bikes for much of his career.
1932: André Leducq with Jean Bidot and Georges Speicher
1933: Georges Speicher and André Leducq