1955 Tour de France

42nd edition: July 7 - July 30, 1955

Results, stage details with running GC, photos and narrative history

1954 Tour | 1956 Tour | Tour de France Database | 1955 Tour Quick Facts | 1955 Tour de France Final GC | Stage results with running GC | The Story of the 1955 Tour de France

Map of the 1955 Tour de France

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Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2021: The Little Cannibal Dominates is available as an audiobook here.

1955 Tour Quick Facts:

4,476.1 km raced at an average speed of 34.446 km/hr.

130 starters aligned on national and regional teams and 69 classified finishers.

This was Louison Bobet's (he was then also the reigning World Road Champion) third consecutive Tour victory, allowing him to tie the record of Belgian Phillipe Thys.

Bobet won this Tour despite agonizing pain from saddle sores that later required surgery.

Bobet later said he believed winning the 1955 Tour shortened his career.

He certainly never again was the dominant rider he was between 1953 and 1955.

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1955 Tour de France complete final General Classification:

1. Louison Bobet (France): 130hr 29min 26sec
2. Jean Brankart (Belgium) @ 4min 53sec
3. Charly Gaul (Luxembourg-Mixed) @ 11min 30sec
4. Pasquale Fornara (Italy) @ 12min 44sec
5. Antonin Rolland (France) @ 13min 18sec
6. Raphaël Géminiani (France) @ 15min 1sec
7. Giancarlo Astrua (Italy) @ 18min 13sec
8. Stan Ockers (Belgium) @ 27min 13sec
9. Alex Close (Belgium) @ 31min 10sec
10. François Mahé (France) @ 36min 27sec
11. Maurice Quentin (France, West) @ 36min 52sec
12. Agostino Coletto (Italy) @ 39min 14sec
13. Raymond Impanis (Belgium) @ 46min 3sec
14. Jean Bobet (France) @ 1hr 5sec
15. Wim Van Est (Netherlands) @ 1hr 4min 50sec
16. Vincent Vitetta (France, South-East) @ 1hr 5min 18sec
17. Fred De Bruyne (Belgium) @ 1hr 5min 29sec
18. Gilbert Bauvin (France, North-East Central) @ 1hr 9min 58sec
19. Wout Wagtmans (Netherlands) @ 1hr 10min 16sec
20. Jésus Loroño (Spain) @ 1hr 19min 25sec
21. Jan Nolten (Holland) @ 1hr 21min 45sec
22. Bernardo Ruiz (Spain) @ 1hr 25min 48sec
23. Bruno Monti (Italy) @ 1hr 36min 21sec
24. Claude Colette (France, West) @ 1hr 40min 1sec
25. Alessandro Fantini (Italy) @ 1hr 44min 45sec
26. Miguel Poblet (Spain) @ 1hr 45min 30sec
27. Hein Van Breenen (Netherlands) @ 1hr 49min 49sec
28. Jan Addriaensens (Belgium) @ 1hr 57min 9sec
29. Brian Robinson (Great Britain) @ 1hr 57min 10sec
30. Pietro Giudici (Italy) @ 1hr 58min 18sec
31. Raymond Hoorelbeke (France, Île de France) @ 2hr 0min 46sec
32. Jean Forestier (France) @ 2hr 9min 20sec
33. Ugo Anzile (France, North-East Central) @ 2hr 10min 40sec
34. Luciano Pezzi (Italy) @ 2hr 13min 30sec
35. Jean Stablinski (France, North-East Central) @ 2hr 23min 47sec
36. Daan De Groot (Netherlands) @ 2hr 24min 58sec
37. Gunther Pankoke (Luxembourg-Mixed) @ 2hr 28min 15sec
38. Jean Dacquay (France, Île de France) @ 2hr 28min 43sec
39. Apo Lazarides (France, South-East) @ 2hr 30min 52sec
40. Danilo Barozzi (Italy) @ 2hr 31min 36sec
41. Jos Hinsen (Netherlands) @ 2hr 31min 16sec
42. Rino Benedetti (Italy) @ 2hr 36min 25sec
43. Georges Gay (France, South-West) @ 2hr 36min 33sec
44. Francis Siguenza (France, Île de France) @ 2hr 38min 46sec
45. Lucien Teisseire (France, South-East) @ 2hr 38min 46sec
46. Bernard Gauthier (France) @ 2hr 52min 43sec
47. Jean-Marie Cieleska (France, North-East Central) @ 2hr 54min 29sec
48. Hans Hollenstein (Switzerland) @ 2hr 55min 39sec
49. André Darrigade (France) @ 2hr 57min 33sec
50. Kurt Schneider (Luxembourg-Mixed) @ 3hr 2min 51sec
51. Roger Buchonnet (France, North-East Central) @ 3hr 3min 6sec
52. Philippe Agut (France, South-West) @ 3hr 5min 57sec
53. Jacky Bovay (Switzerland) @ 3hr 7min 41sec
54. Louis Caput (France, Île de France) @ 3hr 7min 54sec
55. Rik Van Steenbergen (Belgium) @ 3hr 10min 51sec
56. Nicola Barone (France, Île de France) @ 3hr 12min 24sec
57. Gabriel Company (Spain) @ 3hr 18min 34sec
58. Lucien Lazarides (France, South-East) @ 3hr 22min 29sec
59. René Genin (France, South-East) @ 3hr 39min 7sec
60. Willy Kemp (Luxembourg-Mixed) @ 3hr 49min 23sec
61. Max Schellenberg (Switzerland) @ 3hr 54min 11sec
62. Pierre Ruby (France, West) @ 4hr 2min 52sec
63. Max Cohen (France, North-East Central) @ 4hr 5min 40sec
64. Russel Mockridge (Luxembourg-Mixed) @ 4hr 14min 46sec
65. José Mateo (Spain) @ 4hr 26min 34sec
66. Armand Di Caro (France, South-East) @ 4hr 32min 23sec
67. Ernst Rudolf (Switzerland) @ 4hr 34min 5sec
68. Henri Sitek (France, West) @ 5hr 6min 56sec
69. Tony Hoar (Great Britain) @ 6hr 6min 1sec

Climbers' Competition:

1. Charly Gaul (Luxembourg-Mixed): 84 points
2. Louison Bobet (France): 70
3. Jean Brankart (Belgium): 44
4. Antonio Gelabert (Spain): 31
5. Giancarlo Astrua (Italy): 30
6. Jesus Loroño (Spain): 28
7. Jan Nolten (Netherlands): 24
7. Pasquale Fornara (Italy): 24
8. Raphaël Géminiani (France) 23
9. Gilbert Scodeller (France, North-East Central): 18

Points Competition:

1. Stan Ockers (Belgium): 322 points
2. Wout Wagtmans (Netherlands): 399
3. Miguel Poblet (Spain): 409
4. Wim Van Est (Netherlands): 415
5. Gilbert Bauvin (France, North-East Central): 483
6. Antonin Rolland (France): 503
7. Alfred De Bruyne (Belgium): 563
8. Alessandro Fantini (Italy): 573.5
9. Bruno Monti (Italy): 638.5
10. Raymond Impanis (Belgium): 652.5

Team Classification:

1. France: 389hr 10min 14sec
2. Italy @ 47min 33sec
3. Belgium @ 1hr 54min 7sec
4. Netherlands @ 3hr 11min 42sec
5. France, North-East Central @ 3hr 46min 48sec
6. Spain @ 4hr 35min 38sec
7. France, South-East @ 5hr 57min 7sec
8. France, West @ 6hr 6min 55sec
9. Switzerland @ 6hr 45min 13sec
10. Luxembourg-Mixed @ 6hr 49min 8sec
11. France, Île de France @ 7hr 9min 8sec

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1955 Tour stage results with running GC:

Stage 1A: Thursday, July 7, Le Havre - Dieppe, 102 km

1. Miguel Poblet: 2hr 39min 31sec
2. Louis Caput s.t.
3. Edgard Sorgeloos s.t.
4. Wout Wagtmans s.t.
5. Eugène Telotte s.t.
6. Giancarlo Astrua s.t.
7. Fred De Bruyne s.t.
8. Jean Robic s.t.
9. Agostino Coletto s.t.
10. Kurt Schneider s.t.

GC after Stage 1A:

1. Miguel Poblet: 2hr 38min 31sec
2. Louis Caput @ 30sec
3. Edgard Sorgeloos @ 1min
4. Wout Wagtmans s.t.
5. Eugène Telotte s.t.
6. Giancarlo Astrua s.t.
7. Fred De Bruyne s.t.
8. Jean Robic s.t.
9. Agostino Coletto s.t.
10. Kurt Schneider s.t.

Stage 1B: Thursday, July 7, Dieppe 12.5 km Team Time Trial

Times calculated by adding up the first three riders' time of each squad.

1. Holland: 49min 15sec
2. France @ 15sec
3. Italy @ 54sec
4. France North-East Center s.t.
5. Belgium 1min 24sec
6. Île De france 1min 27sec
7. Spain @ 1min 39sec
8. France West @ 1min 42sec
9. Luxembourg-Mixed @ 1min 54sec
10. France South-West @ 1min 57sec

GC after Stage 1B:

1. Miguel Poblet: 2hr 55min 29sec
2. Louis Caput @ 26sec
3. Wout Wagtmans @ 27sec
4. Giancarlo Astrua @ 45sec
5. Agostino Coletto s.t.
6. Edgard Sorgeloos @ 55sec
7. Fred DeBruyne s.t.
8. Eugène Telotte @ 56sec
9. Jean Robic @ 1min 1sec
10. Kurt Schneider @ 1min 5sec

Stage 2: Friday, July 8, Stage 2, Dieppe - Roubaix, 204 km

1. Antonin Rolland: 5hr 54min 0sec
2. Wout Wagtmans s.t.
3. Fred De Bruyne s.t.
4. Eugène Telotte s.t.
5. Claude Le Ber s.t.
6. Robert Varnajo @ 1min 37sec
7. Jacques Vivier s.t.
8. Roger Hassenforder s.t.
9. Isaac Vitre @ 1min 53sec
10. Raymond Impanis s.t.

GC after stage 2:

1. Wout Wagtmans: 8hr 49min 26sec
2. Fred De Bruyne @ 58sec
3. Eugène Telotte @ 59sec
4. Antonin Rolland @ 1min 48sec
5. Miguel Poblet @ 2min 26sec
6. Louis Caput @ 2min 52sec
7. Giancarlo Astrua @ 3min 11sec
8. Agostino Coletto s.t.
9. Claude Le Ber @ 3min 17sec
10. Edgard Sorgeloos @ 3min 21sec

Stage 3: Saturday, July 9, Roubaix - Namur, 210 km

1. Louison Bobet: 6hr 37min 39sec
2. Richard Van Genechten s.t.
3. Bruno Monti s.t.
4. Wout Wagtmans s.t.
5. Raymond Impanis @ 15sec
6. Jean Robic s.t.
7. Jean Mallélejac s.t.
8. Jean Bobet @ 17sec
9. Antonin Rolland @ 21sec
10. Fernand Picot @ 37sec

GC after Stage 3:

1. Wout Wagtmans: 15hr 27min 5sec
2. Antonin Rolland @ 2min 9sec
3. Jean Robic @ 3min 42sec
4. Louison Bobet @ 4min 11sec
5. Giancarlo Astrua @ 4min 32sec
6. Richard Van Genechten @ 5min 4sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 5min 19sec
8. Bruno Monti @ 5min 24sec
9. Jean Malléjac @ 5min 26sec
10. Jean Bobet @ 5min 28sec

Stage 4: Sunday, July 10, Stage 4, Namur - Metz, 225 km

1. Willy Kemp: 6hr 41min 7sec
2. Maurice Quentin @ 8sec
3. Pierre Molineris s.t.
4. Ugo Anzile s.t.
5. Bernard Bultel s.t.
6. François Mahé @ 20sec
7. Antonin Rolland s.t.
8. Eugenio Bertoglio @ 31sec
9. Francisco Alomar Florit @ 35sec
10. Gerrit Voorting @ 7min 6sec
11. Wim Van Est @ 7min 10sec
12. Jean Stablinski s.t.

GC after Stage 4:

1. Antonin Rolland: 22hr 10min 41sec
2. Wout Wagtmans @ 9min 21sec
3. Jean Robic @ 13min 3sec
4. Louison Bobet @ 13min 32sec
5. Giancarlo Astrua @ 13min 53sec
6. Richard Van Genechten @ 14min 25sec
7. Bernard Bultel @ 14min 28sec
8. Raymond Impanis @ 14min 40sec
9. Bruno Monti @ 14min 45sec
10. Jean Malléjac @ 14min 47sec

Stage 5: Monday, July 11, Metz - Colmar, 229 km

1. Roger Hassenforder: 5hr 57min 54sec
2. Vincent Vitetta s.t.
3. Jean Bobet s.t.
4. Francis Siguenza s.t.
5. Maurice Lampre @ 8min 27sec
6. Louis Bergaud s.t.
7. Jean Dacquay s.t.
8. Antonio Gelabert s.t.
9. Jan Adriaenssens s.t.
10. Francisco Alomar Florit s.t.

GC after Stage 5:

1. Antonin Rolland: 28hr 17min 35sec
2. Roger Hassenforder @ 4min 56sec
3. Jean Bobet @ 5min 49sec
4. Wout Wagtmans @ 9min 21sec
5. Jean Robic @ 13min 3sec
6. Louison Bobet @ 13min 32sec
7. Giancarlo Astrua @ 13min 53sec
8. Vincent Vitetta @ 14min 11sec
9. Richard Van Genechten @ 14min 25sec
10. Raymond Impanis @ 14min 40sec

Stage 6: Tuesday, July 12, Colmar - Zurich, 195 km

1. André Darrigade: 4hr 32min 14sec
2. Ferdy Kübler s.t.
3. Pierre Molinaris s.t.
4. Pietro Giudici s.t.
5. Fred De Bruyne s.t.
6. Pasquale Fornara s.t.
7. Jean Dacquay s.t.
8. Wies Van Dongen @ 3min 22sec
9. Pierre Ruby @ 5min 3sec
10. Rik Van Steenbergen s.t.

GC after Stage 6:

1. Antonin Rolland: 32hr 55min 20sec
2. Roger Hassenforder @ 4min 56sec
3. Wout Wagtmans @ 9min 21sec
4. Pasquale Fornara @ 13min 2sec
5. Jean Robic @ 13min 3sec
6. Louison Bobet @ 13min 32sec
7. Giancarlo Astrua @ 13min 53sec
8. Vincent Vitetta @ 14min 11sec
9. Richard Van Genechten @ 14min 25sec
10. Raymond Impanis @ 14min 40sec

Stage 7: Wednesday, July 13, Zurich - Thonon les Bains, 267 km

1. Jos Hinsen: 7hr 22min 1sec
2. Alessandro Fantini s.t.
3. Louis Caput s.t.
4. Jean Stablinski s.t.
5. Raymond Hoorelbeke s.t.
6. Wim Van Est s.t.
7. Roger Walkowiak s.t.
8. Jean Dacquay s.t.
9. Bernard Gauthier s.t.
10. Miguel Poblet @ 17min 33sec

GC after stage 7:

1. Wim Van Est: 40hr 34min 29sec
2. Antonin Rolland @ 25sec
3. Roger Hassenforder @ 5min 21sec
4. Alessandro Fantini @ 9min 15sec
5. Wout Wagtmans @ 9min 46sec
6. Jos Hinsen @ 11min 40sec
7. Pasquale Fornara @ 13min 27sec
8. Jean Robic @ 13min 28sec
9. Louison Bobet @ 13min 57sec
10. Giancarlo Astrua @ 14min 18sec

Stage 8: Thursday, July 14, Thonon les Bains - Briançon, 253 km

Major ascents: Aravis, Télégraphe, Galibier

1. Charly Gaul: 7hr 42min 55sec
2. Ferdy Kübler @ 13min 47sec
3. Agostino Coletto s.t.
4. Louison Bobet s.t.
5. Antonio Gelabert s.t.
6. Vincent Vitetta s.t.
7. Pasquale Fornara s.t.
8. Jean Brankart s.t.
9. Raphaël Géminiani @ 15min 46sec
10. Antonin Rolland s.t.

GC after Stage 8:

1. Antonin Rolland: 48hr 33min 35sec
2. Wim Van Est @ 7min 25sec
3. Charly Gaul @ 10min 17sec
4. Wout Wagtmans @ 11min 2sec
5. Pasquale Fornara @ 11min 3sec
6. Louison Bobet @ 11min 33sec
7. Vincent Vitetta @ 12min 12sec
8. Jean Brankart @ 13min 40sec
9. Jean Robic @ 14min 44sec
10. Richard Van Genechten @ 16min 21sec

Stage 9: Friday, July 15, Briançon - Monaco, 275 km

Major ascents: Vars, Cayolle, Vasson, La Turbie

1. Raphaël Géminiani: 8hr 15min 50sec
2. Gilbert Bauvin @ 2min
3. Pasquale Fornara s.t.
4. Antonin Rolland s.t.
5. Louison Bobet s.t.
6. Giancarlo Astrua s.t.
7. Carlo Clerici @ 3min 13sec
8. Agostino Coletto @ 3min 28sec
9. Roger Walkowiak @ 3min 33sec
10. Charly Gaul @ 3min 36sec

GC after Stage 9:

1. Antonin Rolland: 56hr 51min 25sec
2. Pasquale Fornara @ 11min 3sec
3. Louison Bobet @ 11min33sec
4. Charly Gaul @ 11min 53sec
5. Vincent Vitetta @ 13min 56sec
6. Jean Brankart @ 16min 5sec
7. Giancarlo Astrua @ 17min 24sec
8. Raphaël Géminiani @ 19min
9. Jean Malléjac @ 25min 10sec
10. Carlo Clerici @ 25min 19sec

Stage 10: Sunday, July 17, Monaco - Marseille, 240 km

1. Lucien Lazarides: 6hr 45min 12sec
2. Francisco Alomar Florit s.t.
3. Roger Buchonnet @ 1min 24sec
4. André Darrigade @ 4min 43sec
5. Wout Wagtmans s.t.
6. Denilo Barozzi s.t.
7. Jean Stablinski @ 6min 5sec
8. Wim Van Est s.t.
9. Alessandro Fantini @ 6min 22sec
10. Rino Benedetti s.t.

GC after Stage 10:

1. Antonin Rolland: 63hr 44min 49sec
2. Pasquale Fornara @ 11min 3sec
3. Louison Bobet @ 11min 33sec
4. Charly Gaul @ 11min 53sec
5. Vincent Vitteta @ 13min 56sec
6. Jean Brankart @ 16min 5sec
7. Giancarlo Astrua @ 17min 24sec
8. Raphaël Géminiani @ 19min
9. Jean Malléjac @ 25min 10sec
10. Carlo Clerici @ 25min 19sec

Stage 11: Monday, July 18, Marseille - Avignon, 198 km

Major ascent: Mont Ventoux

1. Louison Bobet: 5hr 42min 32sec
2. Jean Brankart @ 49sec
3. Pasquale Fornara @ 55sec
4. Agostino Coletto s.t.
5. Giancarlo Astrua @ 1min
6. Wout Wagtmans @ 5min 40sec
7. Antonin Rolland s.t.
8. Vincent Vitetta s.t.
9. Jan Nolten @ 5min 59sec
10. Raphaël Géminiani s.t.
11. Nello Lauredi s.t.
12. Maurice Quentin s.t.
13. Charly Gaul s.t.
14. Luciano Pezzi @ 14min 8sec
15. Jean Dotto s.t.

GC after Stage 11:

1. Antonin Rolland: 69hr 33min 1sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 4min 53sec
3. Pasquale Fornara @ 6min 18sec
4. Jean Brankart @ 10min 44sec
5. Charly Gaul @ 12min 12sec
6. Giancarlo Astrua @ 12min 44sec
7. Vinvent Vitetta @ 13min 56sec
8. Raphaël Géminiani @ 19min 19sec
9. Maurice Quentin @ 29min 7sec
10. Wim Van Est @ 36min 55sec

Stage 12: Tuesday, July 19, Avignon - Millau, 240 km

Major Ascent: Minier

1. Alessandro Fantini: 6hr 53min 50sec
2. Stan Ockers s.t.
3. Nello Lauredi s.t.
4. Wim Van Est s.t.
5. Bernard Gauthier s.t.
6. Alexandre Close s.t.
7. Jean Bobet s.t.
8. François Mahé s.t.
9. Jean Forestier @ 38sec
10. Jean Stablinski @ 2min 7sec

GC after Stage 12:

1. Antonin Rolland: 76hr 50min 56sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 4min 53sec
3. Pasquale Fornara @ 6min 18sec
4. Jean Brankart @ 10min 44sec
5. Giancarlo Astrua @ 14min 44sec
6. Wim Van Est @ 12min 50sec
7. Vincent Vitetta @ 13min 56sec
8. Charly Gaul @ 14min
9. Alexandre Close @ 18min 41sec
10. Raphaël Géminiani @ 19min 19sec

Stage 13: Wednesday, July 20, Millau - Albi, 205 km

1. Daan De Groot: 5hr 52min 41sec
2. André Darrigade @ 20min 31sec
3. Georges Gay s.t.
4. Kurt Schneider s.t.
5. Louis Caput @ 20min 45sec
6. Danilo Barozzi s.t.
7. Hein Van Breenen s.t.
8. Miguel Poblet @ 21min 9sec
9. Stan Ockers s.t.
10. Wim Van Est s.t.
11. Rik Van Steenbergen s.t.
12. Jos Hinsen s.t.

GC after Stage 13:

1. Antonin Rolland: 83hr 4min 46sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 4min 53sec
3. Pasquale Fornara @ 6min 18sec
4. Jean Brankart @ 10min 44sec
5. Giancarlo Astrua @ 12min 44sec
6. Wim Van Est @ 12min 50sec
7. Vincent Vitetta @ 13min 56sec
8. Charly Gaul @ 14min
9. Alexandre Close @ 18min 41sec
10. Raphaël Géminiani @ 19min 19sec

Stage 14: Thrusday, July 21, Albi - Narbonne, 156 km

Major ascent: La Fontasse

1. Louis Caput: 4hr 12min 5sec
2. Fred De Bruyne s.t.
3. Rino Benedetti s.t.
4. Bruno Monti s.t.
5. Jean Forestier s.t.
6. Max Cohen s.t.
7. Ugo Anzile s.t.
8. Maurice Quentin s.t.
9. Jan Nolten s.t.
10. Raymond Impanis s.t.

GC after stage 14:

1. Antonin Rolland: 87hr 23min 50sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 4min 53sec
3. Pasquale Fornara @ 6min 18sec
4. Jean Brankart @ 10min 44sec
5. Raphaël Géminiani @ 12min 20sec
6. Grancarlo Astrua @ 12min 44sec
7. Wim Van Est @ 12min 50sec
8. Vincent Vitetta @ 13min 56sec
9. Charly Gaul @ 14min
10. Alexandre Close @ 18min 41sec

Stage 15: Friday, July 22, Narbonne - Aix les Thermes, 151 km

1. Luciano Pezzi: 4hr 32min 53sec
2. Jan Nolten s.t.
3. Miguel Poblet @ 5min 50sec
4. Giancarlo Astrua s.t.
5. Stan Ockers s.t.
6. Alessandro Fantini s.t.
7. Pietro Giudici s.t.
8. Wim Van Est s.t.
9. Louison Bobet s.t.
10. Fred De Bruyne s.t.

GC after Stage 15:

1. Antonin Rolland 92hr 2min 33sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 4min 53sec
3. Pasquale Fornara @ 6min 18sec
4. Jean Brankart @ 10min 44sec
5. Raphaël Géminiani @ 12min 20sec
6. Giancarlo Astrua @ 12min 44sec
7. Wim Van Est @ 12min 50sec
8. Vincent Vitetta @ 13min 56sec
9. Charly Gaul @ 14min
10. Alexandre Close @ 18min 41sec

Stage 16: Sunday, July 24, Aix en Provence - Toulouse, 123 km

1. Rik Van Steenbergen: 2hr 57min 9sec
2. Rino Benedetti s.t.
3. Miguel Poblet s.t.
4. Stan Ockers s.t.
5. Wim Van Est s.t.
6. Russel Mockridge s.t.
7. Jean-Marie Cieleska s.t.
8. Gilbert Bauvin s.t.
9. Pierre Ruby s.t.
10. André Darrigade s.t.

GC after Stage 16:

1. Antonin Rolland: 94hr 59min 42sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 4min 53sec
3. Pasquale Fornara @ 6min 18sec
4. Jean Brankart @ 10min 44sec
5. Raphaël Géminiani @ 12min 20sec
6. Giancarlo Astrua @ 12min 44sec
7. Wim Van Est @ 12min 50sec
8. Vincent Vitetta @ 13min 56sec
9. Charly Gaul @ 14min
10. Alexandre Close @ 18min 41sec
11. Stan Ockers @ 22min 5sec

Stage 17: Monday, July 25, Toulouse - St. Gaudens, 249 km

Major Ascents: Aspin, Peyresourde

1. Charly Gaul: 7hr 31min 31sec
2. Louison Bobet @ 1min 24sec
3. Giancarlo Astrua @ 3min 18sec
4. Stan Ockers s.t.
5. Jésus Loroño s.t.
6. Raphaël Géminiani s.t.
7. Jean Brankart s.t.
8. Agostino Coletto @ 3min 23sec
9. Jacky Bovay s.t.
10. Pasquale Fornara @ 3min 26sec

GC after Stage 17:

1. Louison Bobet: 102hr 37min 0sec
2. Antonin Rolland @ 3min 8sec
3. Pasquale Fornara @ 3min 57sec
4. Charly Gaul @ 7min 13sec
5. Jean Brankart @ 8min 15sec
6. Raphaël Géminiani @ 9min 51sec
7. Giancarlo Astrua @ 10min 15sec
8. Vincent Vitetta @ 17min 4sec
9. Stan Ockers @ 19min 36sec
10. Alexandre Close @ 21min 49sec

Stage 18: Tuesday, July 26, St. Gaudens - Pau, 206 km

Major ascents: Tourmalet, Aubisque

1. Jean Brankart: 6hr 39min 39sec
2. Louison Bobet s.t.
3. Charly Gaul s.t.
4. Raphaël Géminiani s.t.
5. Stan Ockers @ 2min 26sec
6. Bernardo Ruiz s.t.
7. Raymond Impanis s.t.
8. Roger Buchonnet s.t.
9. Jan Nolten s.t.
10. Antonin Rolland s.t.

GC after stage 18:

1. Louison Bobet: 109hr 16min 9sec
2. Antonin Rolland @ 6min 4sec
3. Charly Gaul @ 7min 43sec
4. Jean Brankart @ 7min 45sec
5. Raphaël Géminiani @ 10min 21sec
6. Giancarlo Astrua @ 13min 11sec
7. Pasquale Fornara @ 14min 56sec
8. Stan Ockers @ 22min 32sec
9. Alexandre Close @ 24min 45sec
10. Maurice Quentin @ 28min 12sec

Stage 19: Wednesday, July 27, Pau - Bordeaux, 195 km

1. Wout Wagtmans: 5hr 15min 38sec
2. Max Schellenberg s.t.
3. Gilbert Bauvin s.t.
4. Denilo Barozzi s.t.
5. Bernard Gauthier s.t.
6. Henri Sitek s.t.
7. André Darrigade @ 4min 54sec
8. Alessandro Fantini s.t.
9. Louis Caput s.t.
10. Roger Buchonnet s.t.

GC after Stage 19:

1. Louison Bobet: 114hr 37min 17sec
2. Antonin Rolland @ 6min 4sec
3. Charly Gaul @ 7min 43sec
4. Jean Brankart @ 7min 45sec
5. Raphaël Géminiani @ 10min 21sec
6. Giancarlo Astrua @ 13min 11sec
7. Pasquale Fornara @ 14min 56sec
8. Stan Ockers @ 22min 32sec
9. Alexandre Close @ 24min 45sec
10. Maurice Quentin @ 28min 12sec

Stage 20: Thursday, July 28, Bordeaux - Poitiers, 243 km

1. Jean Forestier: 7hr 24min 12sec
2. Gilbert Bauvin s.t.
3. Wim Van Est s.t.
4. Bruno Monti s.t.
5. Raymond Hoorelbeke s.t.
6. Jan Nolten s.t.
7. Jan Stablinski s.t.
8. Hein Van Breenen s.t.
9. Rino Benedetti @ 17sec
10. Jos Hinsen @ 35sec
11. Fred De Bruyne @ 37sec
12. Jos Hinsen s.t.
13. Agostino Coletto s.t.
14. René Genin @ 41sec
15. Miguel Poblet @ 7min 35sec

GC after Stage 20:

1. Louison Bobet: 122hr 9min 4sec
2. Antonin Rolland @ 6min 4sec
3. Charly Gaul @ 7min 43sec
4. Jean Brankart @ 7min 45sec
5. Raphaël Géminiani @ 10min 21sec
6. Giancarlo Astrua @ 13min 11sec
7. Pasquale Fornara @ 14min 56sec
8. Stan Ockers @ 22min 32sec
9. Alexandre Close @ 24min 45sec
10. Maurice Quentin @ 28min 12sec

Stage 21: Friday, July 29, Châtelleraut - Tours 68.6 km Individual Time Trial

1. Jean Brankart: 1hr 39min 31sec
2. Pasquale Fornara @ 30sec
3. Louison Bobet @ 2min 12sec
4. Wim Van Est @ 4min 14sec
5. Fred De Bruyne @ 5min 18sec
6. Charly Gaul @ 5min 59sec
7. Pierre Ruby @ 6min 1sec
8. Wout Wagtmans @ 6min 16sec
9. Agostino Coletto @ 6min 20sec
10. Raphaël Géminiani @ 6min 52sec

GC after Stage 21:

1. Louison Bobet: 123hr 50min 47sec
2. Jean Brankart @ 4min 53sec
3. Charly Gaul @ 11min 20sec
4. Pasquale Fornara @ 12min 44sec
5. Antonin Rolland @ 13min 18sec
6. Raphaël Géminiani @ 15min 1sec
7. Giancarlo Astrua @ 18min 13sec
8. Stan Ockers @ 27min 13sec
9. Alexandre Close @ 31min 10sec
10. François Mahé @ 36min 27sec

Stage 22 (Final Stage): Saturday, July 30, Tours - Paris, 229 km

1. Miguel Poblet: 6hr 38min 25sec
2. André Darrigade @ 14sec
3. Alessandro Fantini s.t.
4. Stan Ockers s.t.
5. Bruno Monti s.t.
6. Louis Caput s.t.
7. Louison Bobet s.t.
8. Rino Benedetti s.t.
9. Kurt Schneider s.t.
10. Wim Van Est s.t.

Complete Final 1955 Tour de France General Classification

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The Story of the 1955 Tour de France:

This excerpt is from "The Story of the Tour de France", Volume 1 If you enjoy it we hope you will consider purchasing the book, either print, eBook or audiobook. The Amazon link here will make the purchase easy.

The 1955 Tour went clockwise (Alps first) over a 4,476 kilometer course that again took in the Massif Central between the Alps and the Pyrenees. The roughly 400 kilometer reduction that imitated the length of the 1953 Tour was indicative of the general trend towards a slightly shorter Tour. Only in 1967 would it again creep up towards 4,800 kilometers. In 1971 it was 3,800 kilometers and the 2003 Centennial Tour was 3,361 kilometers. Henri Pélissier continued to win his argument that shorter races with higher speeds were superior athletic contests.

Bobet, of course, was the man to beat. He had not only won 2 Tours in a row, he was the reigning World Road Champion. His spring was impressive with a victory in one of the hardest 1-day races on the calendar, the Tour of Flanders. He was third in Paris–Roubaix. He also won the Dauphiné Libéré and came in second to André Darrigade in the French road championships. Not only was Bobet formidable, his team was impressive. His brother Jean would ride at his side as well as Jean Dotto, Antonin Rolland, Raphaël Géminiani, Jean Malléjac, Jean Forestier and André Darrigade. If Bobet did not win the Tour for an unprecedented third time in a row, it would not be because he didn't have good, experienced riders at his side.

The Belgian team had a third-year pro named Jean Brankart who had managed to get ninth the year before. Nothing in his results presaged anything remarkable beyond good, strong riding. Also on the Belgian team were Stan Ockers, second in 1952 and Alex Close, fourth in 1953. For stage wins, the greatest classics racer of the age, Rik Van Steenbergen, helped fill out a very fine team.

Federico Bahamontes did not enter the 1955 Tour so the Spanish were without a real hope for either the Yellow Jersey or the Climber's competition. The Italians returned after their 1954 absence but were without a real General Classifiaction hope as well. The Swiss sent Ferdy Kübler to try to repeat his 1950 win. By the end of July he would be 36, the oldest man in the Tour.

Wout Wagtmans, who was so often in the fight in the hardest stages in the mountains and had worn Yellow the year before, anchored the Dutch team.

Charly Gaul was put on a team called Luxembourg-Mixte with riders from Luxembourg, Austria, Australia and Germany all "mixte" up. Gaul could not hope to have a well-oiled machine like the French team. He would be on his own.

For the first time there was a British team. Most of them them were not up to the challenges of a Grand Tour. For a raft of complex social and legal reasons that go back to the very start of cycle racing in the 19th century, the British had generally not sanctioned massed-start road races on their island. Their cycling organizations had stifled the growth of professional cycling, preferring to encourage what they thought was a finer, more purely amateur sport. Of the 10 men on the team, only 2 finished, Tony Hoar and Brian Robinson. Robinson finished a respectable twenty-ninth, Hoar was the Lanterne Rouge at sixty-ninth. But, as Geoffrey Wheatcroft notes, 130 good pro riders started the 1955 Tour and only 69 finished. Hoar did better than 61 other entrants.

Starting in northern France and heading east towards Belgium, the first day of the 1955 Tour had a split stage. In the morning they rode 102 kilometers from Le Havre to Dieppe. Spanish rider Miguel Poblet entered the history books when he won the stage and became the first of his countrymen to don the Yellow Jersey. When the Dutch team won the afternoon's 12.5 km team time trial, Poblet still had the Yellow Jersey. Not surprisingly, Great Britain finished last in the team time trial, over 5 minutes behind the winners.

The next day on the road to Roubaix a 4-man break beat the main pack by 2½ minutes. French team rider Antonin Rolland won the sprint but Wout Wagtmans took the lead. Important for the tactics and politics of the race as it unfolded, Rolland was now in fourth place in the General Classification.

Stage 3 was a classic cobbled northern European stage going from Roubaix, France to Namur, Belgium. Bobet, who had won the Tour of Flanders that year and would win Paris–Roubaix the next, could handle the rough roads of the region. He powered a break that included the Yellow Jersey'd Wagtmans. Bobet won the stage and moved to fourth in the overall and Wagtmans extended his lead slightly with Rolland the new second place.

In modern Tours these early stages are boring promenades of controlled riding with a final furious sprint. In stage 4 there was nothing of the sort. 9 men got over 7 minutes on the peloton and there was a new Yellow Jersey. Rolland was in that break, and as a reward for his consistent heads-up riding he was the new leader with a 9 minute, 21 second lead over Wagtmans and a huge 13 minutes, 32 seconds over his team captain, Bobet. Now does Rolland, a domestique with a substantial lead in the General Classification, ride for his captain or does Bobet now ride for Rolland?

Stage 6 traveled to Zurich. Of course Ferdy Kübler wanted to win on his home turf. He escaped with 6 others but he didn't have the jump to win the sprint. André Darrigade notched another of his eventual 22 career stage wins. The next day the pack let a group of non-contenders, so they thought, leave them over 17 minutes behind. Dutchman Wim van Est again took the Yellow Jersey with a slim 25 second lead over Rolland. In that break was a serious, capable, but unsung rider named Roger Walkowiak. He'll get himself into a good break next year. That will be very interesting stuff, indeed.

Van Est, a non-climber and non-descender, couldn't hope to keep the Yellow Jersey for long. In fact, with a monster Alpine stage the next day, he had to know his time in the lead was over almost as soon as it had started. Stage 8 had the Aravis, Télégraphe and the Galibier. The Tour would now be fought in earnest.

Charly Gaul had started both the 1953 and the 1954 Tours. He finished neither. In 1955, he blossomed. Away on the first of the 3 climbs, he was able to get as much as 15 minutes on the field before finally finishing 13 minutes, 47 seconds ahead of the chasers. Kübler led in the first chasing group of 6 men, Bobet among them. Almost 16 minutes after Gaul gave his lesson in climbing, Géminiani and Rolland finished. Rolland was back in Yellow and Gaul was now third. Bobet was sixth, over 11 minutes behind Rolland. The results of this stage were wholly unexpected. While it was still in the early days of the Tour, Gaul was an element that had not been in their calculations. He was now.

Gaul tried to smash the field in the mountains 2 days in a row and couldn't do it. He was first over the first 3 climbs but crashed on the second mountain, the Cayolle. A resuscitated Géminiani crested the 555-meter La Turbie first and came in alone. At 2 minutes were Bauvin, Bobet, Rolland, Astrua and Fornara. Gaul needed another minute and a half to arrive. A fine performance, but not one that would give him the Tour.

So, the General Classification after stage 9 and the Alpine stages finished:

1. Antonin Rolland

2. Pasquale Fornara @ 11 minutes 3 seconds

3. Louison Bobet @ 11 minutes 33 seconds

4. Charly Gaul @ 11 minutes 53 seconds

5. Vincent Vitetta @ 13 minutes 56 seconds

6. Jean Branckart @ 16 minutes 5 seconds

Bobet was now facing a problem greater than a teammate's ascendancy. The skin problem that had plagued him his entire career reasserted itself as terrible saddle sores. Ollivier writes that even in his hotel room, alone, Bobet would cry out in agony.

Stage 11 was where the temper of the race changed. So far Bobet had been observing the correct protocols and not attacking his teammate Rolland. He had to have been seething with ambition. Stage 11 was 198 kilometers from Marseille to Avignon with Mt. Ventoux between the two cities. The French set out to neutralize the small Luxembourg climber who was giving them so much trouble. Well before the foot of Mt. Ventoux Géminiani got away with Kübler and a teammate on Bauvin's France Northeast-Center regional squad, Gilbert Scodeller. Once on the slopes of the Ventoux Bobet accelerated several times and finally escaped from all the other riders. Gaul couldn't go with him. Because the young climber was so new to this highest level of racing, no one knew what his weak points and his strong points were. Charly Gaul's achilles heel was heat. He couldn't take it. Monday, July 18, 1955 was a very hot day and Gaul melted.

Bobet caught the break of 3. The plan was for Géminiani to assist him in the 60 kilometers still remaining to Avignon after Mt. Ventoux had been climbed. When Bobet caught Géminiani, "Gem" told Bobet to go on alone because he was cooked. Scodeller and Kübler were also shot and finished the day more than 20 minutes down.

Stage 11: Bobet's famous escape on the Ventoux.

Bobet didn't have much of a lead at the top of the Ventoux. Belgian surprise Jean Brankart was only a minute back. Several riders now riding with Géminiani were almost 4 minutes back. Gaul was 5½ minutes behind. There were still 60 kilometers to go. Should the lone Bobet sit up and wait for help? French team manager Marcel Bidot told Bobet to press on and that if the chasers closed to within 45 seconds he would let Bobet know so that he could wait (winning a 3-week stage race requires avoiding unnecessary efforts that waste energy). With an inopportune flat the gap did get that close with just 5 kilometers to go. Bobet rode on and won alone, 49 seconds ahead of Brankart, 5 minutes, 40 seconds ahead of Rolland and Wagtmans, and 6 minutes ahead of Gaul.

Bobet was now second to Rolland at 4 minutes, 53 seconds. Gaul was down to fifth, over 12 minutes behind Rolland. Rolland was still in Yellow but the consequences of the stage were huge. Bobet had shown his ability to deliver when it mattered. Gaul was rocked back on his heels. Kübler, Ockers, Close and Bauvin lost too much time to be considered competitive. Kübler's failure was heartbreaking. On the Ventoux he started to swerve. He stopped in a cafe for a while, got something to drink, then remounted. Like Abdel Khader Zaaf in the 1950 Tour, Ferdy at first took off in the wrong direction. He abandoned the next day.

Of all the contenders, Jean Malléjac's collapse was the most dramatic. Malléjac was 10 kilometers from the summit of Mt. Ventoux when he started weaving and then fell to the ground. He still had one foot strapped into the pedal, his leg still pumping involuntarily trying to turn the crank. The Tour race doctor, Pierre Dumas, had to pry Malléjac's mouth open to administer medicine. He was taken away in an ambulance. On the way to hospital he had another fit. He had to be strapped down both in the ambulance and later in his hospital bed. It was assumed that Malléjac had taken an overdose of amphetamines, but he always denied it. Half a dozen other riders also collapsed in the heat, but none with the drama of Jean Malléjac. Was Malléjac some rare exception and the other riders also clean? French team manager Bidot later said that he believed that three-fourths of the riders in the 1950's were doped.

Across the Massif Central, on the way to the Pyrenees, the General Classification stayed stable except for Gaul, who slipped from fifth place, at 12 minutes, to ninth at 14 minutes. By the end of stage 16 with the first Pyreneen stage the next day, the General Classification stood thus:

1. Antonin Rolland

2. Louison Bobet @ 4 minutes 53 seconds

3. Pasquale Fornara @ 6 minutes 18 seconds

4. Jean Branckart @ 10 minutes 44 seconds

5. Raphaël Géminiani @ 12 minutes 20 seconds

6. Giancarlo Astrua @ 12 minutes 44 seconds

7. Wim Van Est @ 12 minutes 50 seconds

8. Vincent Vitetta @ 13 minutes 56 seconds

9. Charly Gaul @ 14 minutes

10. Alex Close @ 18 minutes 41 seconds

Stages 17 and 18 were the pair of mountain stages that would probably settle the 1955 Tour. Stage 17 went over the Aspin and the Peyresourde on the way to St. Gaudens. As expected, Gaul attacked on the Aspin. He had no problems with the heat, it was a rainy day. Bobet went after the fleeing Luxembourger on the Peyresourde. He couldn't catch him, especially after a flat tire. But he did get close enough. Gaul won the 249-kilometer stage after 7½ hours of racing, with Bobet only 1 minute, 24 seconds behind. Astrua, Géminiani, Brankart, Lorono and Ockers were 3 minutes, 18 seconds back. Rolland followed in at almost 9 minutes with Bauvin and Wagtmans. Bobet was now in Yellow with Rolland 3 minutes behind. Bobet said that he had "seized the race".

Stage 17: Charly Gaul (left) and Louison Bobet. Note that Bobet is wearing his Rainbow Jersey. After this stage he'll be in Yellow.

Stage 18 with the Tourmalet and Aubisque allowed Bobet to put his hold on the Tour into the "barring misfortune" category. Brankart won the stage with Bobet, Gaul and Géminiani finishing with him at the same time. With the climbing done, the overall standings must have looked good to Bobet:

1. Louison Bobet

2. Antonin Rolland @ 6 minutes 4 seconds

3. Charly Gaul @ 7 minutes 43 seconds

4. Jean Branckart @ 7 minutes 45 seconds

5. Raphaël Géminiani @ 10 minutes 21 seconds

There remained the usual challenge to icing the victory, the final individual time trial. Bobet's seat was on constant fire. The inflamed boil made it so that he was barely able to sit in the saddle. The stage 21 time trial was 68.6 kilometers must have been pure hell for Bobet. He was in no condition to win the stage, but he held the day's winner, Brankart, to only 1 minute, 52 seconds. Bobet had enough time in hand to concede that much. Now there was only the promenade to Paris. Bobet had matched and exceeded Phillipe Thys: both had won 3 Tours, but only Bobet had won 3 in a row.

Final 1955 Tour de France General Classification:

1. Louison Bobet (France): 130 hours 29 minutes 26 seconds

2. Jean Brankart (Belgium) @ 4 minutes 53 seconds

3. Charly Gaul (Luxembourg) @ 11 minutes 30 seconds

4. Pasquale Fornara (Italy) @ 12 minutes 44 seconds

5. Antonin Rolland (France) @ 13 minutes 18 seconds

Climber's Competition:

1. Charly Gaul: 84 points

2. Louison Bobet: 70 points

3. Jean Brankart: 44 points

Points Competition:

1. Stan Ockers: 322 points

2. Wout Wagtmans: 399 points

3. Miguel Poblet: 409 points

This was the high point of Bobet's career, although 1954 might be considered the year in which he was at his competitive best. By 1955, Bobet had become a masterful and complete rider. He had won many of the most important races in the world. They were varied, from time trials to stage races: Milano–San Remo, Tour of Lombardy, Tour of Flanders, the World Championships, Gran Prix de Nations, Tour of Luxembourg as well as the Tour de France. He would win Paris–Roubaix the next year. Bobet's wins were attained while often suffering the debilitating effect of his brittle, dry skin that could break out into painful boils at any time. Bobet believed that the effort of winning the 1955 Tour with terrible sores left him a lesser rider for the rest of his career. Certainly he never again reached the magnificent highs of 1954 and 1955.

His fellow riders, many of whom were put off by both his touchy personality and his high social aspirations, didn’t love him. Still, Louison Bobet must be considered one of the greatest riders of all time.

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