1919 Tour | 1921 Tour | Tour de France Database | 1920 Tour Quick Facts | 1920 Tour de France Final GC | Stage results with running GC | Photos from the 1920 Tour de France

Map of the 1920 Tour de France from Le Miroir des Sports

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Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de france, Vol 1: 1903 - 1975 - How a Newspaper Promotion Became the Greatest Sporting Event in the World is available as an audiobook here.

1920 Tour quick facts:

113 riders started, 22 finished.

15 Stages covering 5,503 kilometers. Winner Thys averaged 24.072 km/hr

Phillipe Thys became the Tour's first triple winner, a record that would not be equaled until Louison Bobet won his third Tour in 1955.

Honoré Barthélemy, the highest place Frenchman, finished 8th, with a broken collarbone!

Belgians occupied the top seven places in the final General Classification and won 12 of the 15 stages.

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Final Complete 1920 Tour de France General Classification:

1. Philippe Thys (La Sportive): 228hr 36min 13sec
2. Hector Heusghem (La Sportive) @ 57min 21sec
3. Firmin Lambot (La Sportive) @ 1hr 39min 35sec
4. Léon Scieur (La Sportive) @ 1hr 44min 58sec
5. Émile Masson, Sr. (La Sportive) @ 2hr 56min 52sec
6. Louis Heusghem (La Sportive) @ 3hr 40min 47sec
7. Jean Rossius (La Sportive) @ 3hr 49min 55sec
8. Honoré Barthélemy (La Sportive) @ 5hr 35min 19sec
9. Félix Goethals (La Sportive) @ 9hr 23min 7sec
10. Joseph Vandaele (La Sportive) @ 10hr 45min 41sec
11. Eugène Dhers (La Sportive) @ 11hr 15min 9sec
12. Joseph Pelletier (Delage) @ 20hr 4min 32sec
13. Théo Wynsdau (J B Louvet) @ 25hr 14min 2sec
14. Noël Armenc (Devaux) @ 33hr 25min 47sec
15. Joseph Muller (J B Louvet) @ 33hr 48min 53sec
16. Henri Ferrara (Devaux) @ 34hr 32min 27sec
17. Guglielmo Ceccherelli (Radior) @ 48hr 40min 35sec
18. Marius Matheron (Martin) @ 51hr 11min 4sec
19. Etienne Dorfeuille (Delage) @ 53hr 10min
20. Pierre Hudsyn (Automoto) @ 55hr 57min 46sec
21. André Coutte @ 55hr 57min 46sec
22. Charles Raboisson @ 69hr 5sec

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Stage results with running GC:

Stage 1, Sunday, June 27: Paris - Le Havre, 388 kilometers.

1. Louis Mottiat: 14hr 50min 46sec
2. Jean Rossius s.t.
3. Philippe Thys s.t.
4. Félix Goethals s.t.
5. Emile Masson, Sr. s.t.
6. Francis Pélissier @ 2min 46sec
7. Eugène Dhers @ 15min 33sec
8. Henri Pélissier @ 16min 56sec
9. Eugène Christophe s.t.
10. Léon Scieur s.t.

Louis Mottiat was the leader after the first stage, but Rossius, Thys, Goethals and Masson were tied with him on time.

Stage 2, Tuesday, June 29: Le Havre - Cherbourg, 364 kilometers.

1. Philippe Thys: 15 hr 17min 48sec
2. Félix Goethals s.t.
3. René Chassot s.t.
4. Francis Pélissier s.t.
5. Hector Tiberghien s.t.
6. Jules Masselis s.t.
7. Louis Mottiat s.t.
8. Emile Masson, Sr. s.t.
9. Félix Sellier s.t.
10. Théo Wynsdau s.t.
 

Thys was now the leader with an elapsed time of 30hr 8min 34sec, but the quartet of Rossius, Goethals, Mottiat and Masson were still tied with him on time.

Stage 3, Thursday, July 1: Cherbourg - Brest, 405 kilometers.

1. Henri Pélissier: 16hr 9min
2. Emile Masson, Sr. s.t.
3. Eugène Christophe s.t.
4. Philippe Thys s.t.
5. Hector Heusghem s.t.
6. Honoré Barthélemy s.t.
7. Jean Rossius s.t.
8. Léon Scieur s.t.
9. Félix Goethals s.t.
10. Louis Heusghem s.t.

Thys remained the leader with an elasped time of 46hr 17min 34sec. Mottiat was no longer among those tied for the lead which now included Rossius, Goethals and Masson.

Stage 4, Saturday, July 3: Brest - Les Sables d'Olonne, 412 kilometers.

1. Henri Pélissier: 15 hr 59min 28sec
2. Philippe Thys s.t.
3. Romain Bellenger s.t.
4. Louis Mottiat s.t.
5. Hector Heusghem s.t.
6. Eugène Christophe s.t.
7. Emile Masson, Sr. s.t.
8. Robert Jacquinot @ 13min 56sec
9. Louis Heusghem s.t.
10. Hector Tiberghien s.t.

General Classification:

1. Philippe Thys 62hr 33min 58sec
2. Emile Masson, Sr. s.t.
3. Eugène Christophe @ 16min 56sec

Stage 5, Monday, July 5: Les Sables d'Olonne - Bayonne, 482 kilometers.

1. Firmin Lambot: 19hr 44min 0sec
2. Philippe Thys s.t.
3. Jean Rossius s.t.
4. Joseph Vandaele s.t.
5. Félix Goethals s.t.
6. Hector Heusghem s.t.
7. Louis Mottiat s.t.
8. Honoré Barthélemy s.t.
9. Emile Masson, Sr. s.t.
10. Léon Scieur s.t.

General Classification:

1. Philippe Thys
2. Emile Masson s.t.
3. Eugène Christophe @ 16min 56sec

Stage 6, Wednesday, July 7: Bayonne - Luchon, 326 kilometers.

Pyrenean Stage: Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde

1. Firmin Lambot: 15hr 15min 25sec
2. Philippe Thys @ 2min 31sec
3. Hector Heusghem @ 13min 49sec
4. Louis Heusghem @ 28min 5sec
5. Léon Scieur @ 41min 42sec
6. Emile Masson, Sr. @ 55min 5sec
7. Louis Mottiat @ 1hr 0min 46sec
8. Félix Goethals @ 1hr 4min 10sec
9. Honoré Barthélemy @ 1hr 9min 35sec
10. Jean Rossius @ 1hr 10min 0sec

General Classification:

1. Philippe Thys: 97hr 16min 27sec
2. Hector Heusghem @ 28min 14sec
3. Emile Masson, Sr. @ 52min 34sec

Stage 7, Friday, July 9: Luchon - Perpignan, 323 kilometers.

Pyrenean Stage: Ares, Portet d'Aspet, Port, Puymorens

1. Jean Rossius: 13hr 41min 50sec
2. Philippe Thys s.t.
3. Léon Scieur s.t.
4. Firmin Lambot s.t.
5. Hector Heusghem s.t.
6. Honoré Barthélemy @ 15min 26sec
7. Louis Heusghem @ 1min 29sec
8. Emile Masson, Sr. @ 36min 34sec
9. Louis Mottiat @ 1hr 0min 50sec
10. Félix Goethals @ 1hr 14min 50sec

General Classification:

1. Philippe Thys: 110hr 58min 17sec
2. Hector Heusghem @ 28min 14sec
3. Firmin Lambot @ 1hr 20min

Stage 8, Saturday, July 11: Perpignan - Aix en Provence, 325 kilometers

1. Louis Heusghem: 12hr 12min 18sec
2. Philippe Thys @ 8min 3sec
3. Hector Heusghem s.t.
4. Léon Scieur s.t.
5. Emile Masson, Sr. s.t.
6. Firmin Lambot s.t.
7. Louis Mottiat s.t.
8. Joseph Van Daele s.t.
9. Jean Rossius@ 13min 13sec
10. Félix Goethals s.t.

General Classification:

1. Philippe Thys: 123hr 10min 35sec
2. Hector Heusghem @ 28min 14sec
3. Firmin Lambot @ 1hr 20min

Stage 9, Tuesday, July 13: Aix en Provence - Nice, 356 kilometers

Major ascents : Braus, Castillon

1. Phillipe Thys: 16hr 15min 44sec
2. Joseph Vandaele @ 5min 16sec
3. Léon Scieur @ 11min 26sec
4. Hector Heusghem @ 31min 41sec
5. Jean Rossius @ 32min 39sec
6. Jean Rossius @ 32min 39sec
7. Honoré Barthélemy @ 35min 46sec
8. Henri Ferrara @ 52min 13sec
9. José Pelletier s.t.
10. Félix Goethals @ 1hr 3min 37sec

General Classification:

1. Philippe Thys: 139hr 26min 19sec
2. Hector Heusghem @ 59min 55sec
3. Firmin Lambot @ 1hr 37min 4sec

Stage 10, Thursday, July 15: Nice - Grenoble, 333 kilometers

Major ascents: Allos, Bayard

1. Hector Heusghem: 14hr 47min 39sec
2. Jean Rossius s.t.
3. Philippe Thys s.t.
4. Firmin Lambot s.t.
5. Léon Scieur @ 2min 51sec
6. Louis Heusghem @ 7min 36sec
7. Emile Masson, Sr. @ 20min 35sec
8. Honoré Barthélemy @ 51min 10sec
9. Eugène Dhers s.t.
10. Félix Goethals @ 56min 47sec

General Classification:

1. Philippe Thys: 154hr 13min 58sec
2. Hector Heusghem @ 59min 55sec
3. Firmin Lambot @ 1hr 37min 4sec

Stage 11, Saturday, July 11: Grenoble - Gex, 362 kilometers.

Major ascents: Galibier, Aravis

1. Léon Scieur: 15hr 30min 43sec
2. Firmin Lambot s.t.
3. Hector Heusghem s.t.
4. Louis Heusghem s.t.
5. Philippe Thys @ 2min 34sec
6. Honoré Barthélemy @ 31min 40sec
7. Emile Masson, Sr. s.t.
8. Joseph Muller @ 1hr 15min 56sec
9. Jean Rossius @ 1hr 34min 49sec
10. Eugène Dhers @ 1hr 51min 5sec

General Classification:

1. Philippe Thys: 169hr 47min 15sec
2. Hector Heusghem @ 57min 21sec
3. Firmin Lambot @ 1hr 34min 30sec

Stage 12, Monday, July 19: Gex - Strasbourg, 354 kilometers

1. Philippe Thys: 14hr 19min 19sec
2. Jean Rossius s.t.
3. Firmin Lambot s.t.
4. Hector Heusghem s.t.
5. Louis Heusghem s.t.
6. Emile Masson, Sr. s.t.
7. Joseph Vandaele @ 6min 36sec
8. Léon Scieur s.t.
9. Félix Goethals @ 16min 25sec
10. Honoré Barthélemy s.t.

General Classification:

1. Philippe Thys: 184hr 6min 34sec
2. Hector Heusghem @ 57min 21sec
3. Firmin Lambot @ 1hr 34min 30sec

Stage 13, Wednesday, July 21: Strasbourg - Metz, 354 kilometers

1. Philippe Thys: 11hr 13min 34sec
2. Jean Rossius s.t.
3. Félix Goethals s.t.
4. Honoré Barthélemy s.t.
5. Louis Heusghem s.t.
6. Emile Masson, Sr. s.t.
7. Léon Scieur s.t.
8. Hector Heusghem s.t.
9. Firmin Lambot s.t.
10. Noël Amenc s.t.

General Classification:

1. Philippe Thys: 195hr 20min 8sec
2. Hector Heusghem @ 57min 21sec
3. Firmin Lambot @1hr 34min 30sec

Stage 14, Friday, July 23: Metz - Dunkirk, 433 kilometers.

1. Félix Goethals: 18hr 33min 51sec
2. Philippe Thys s.t.
3. Jean Rossius s.t.
4. Joseph Vandaele s.t.
5. Léon Scieur s.t.
6. Hector Heusghem s.t.
7. Honoré Barthélemy s.t.
8. Firmin Lambot s.t.
9. Louis Heusghem @ 14sec
10. Emile Masson, Sr. s.t.

GC after Stage 14:

1. Philippe Thys: 214hr 7min 59sec
2. Hector Heusghem @ 57min 21sec
3. Firmin Lambot @ 1hr 34min 30sec

Stage 15 (final stage), Sunday, July 27: Dunkirk - Paris, 340 kilometers.

1. Jean Rossius: 14hr 31min 40sec
2. Philippe Thys s.t.
3. Hector Heusghem s.t.
4. Honoré Barthélemy s.t.
5. Emile Masson, Sr. s.t.
6. Eugène Dhers s.t.
7. Léon Scieur s.t.
8. Louis Heusghem @ 5min 5sec
9. Firmin Lambot s.t.
10. Joseph Muller @ 20min 32sec

Complete Final 1920 Tour de France General Classification.

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Photos from the 1920 Tour de France

Louis Mottiat wins the first stage.

Stage 6, on the Toumalet. This stage would take the winner, Firmin Lambot, over 15 hours to complete. The rider on the left, Jean Rossius would finish over an hour later. The rider on the right, Jules Masselis would need 18 hours, 35 minutes to finish the stage. And he finished in the middle of the field.

Eugène Christophe in the Pyrenees, before back pains forced him to quit.
A rough and tumble arrival into Aix en Provence for the end of the 8th stage. Louis Heusghem beat the field by over 8 minutes.

Stage 10, the pack climbs the Allos.

The lead riders on the Galibier in the Alps, likely Firmim Lambot and Leon Scieur.

Philippe Thys after winning stage 13. Just two more days of racing left.

Philippe Thys. Would he have won 7 Tours if there had been no war?

 

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