Vive Le Tour, 1962...

Since it is the season of le Tour, and someone I know - well, me actually - will be celebrating a golden year in a few months time, it may be worth revisiting one of the greatest Tour films of all time. If you are a racing fanatic you may very well have seen it already, but it is so unique that you may want to watch again. If it were commercially available I would get it and make it an annual part of my pre-Tour preparations. It is not your typical stage-by-stage recap, the victor and his challengers rarely figure into the story, but it is compelling none-the-less. Accompanied by the French music (think accordions), ooo-la-la - so appropriate, so stage-setting. Watch the entire thing, and don't skimp on it; it is worth every bit of the nineteen-minutes run time. I especially love the scene in part 1 of the rider dunking his hot dogs (as in feet), into a public fountain, shoes and all. The drink raid at a local pub for wine, champagne, beer, "even water, if there's nothing better" is perfect. The rider collapsing at the side of the road, unconscious, being unable to turn one more pedal stroke in part 2, is compelling as well. Add in the fun of the sponsor caravan preceding the race and all the spectators lining the route, along with all the sound dub-overs and sound effects, it is just a great period piece.

Anquetil and Poulidor in their annual Tour battle

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alright, well it does not look like it will embed, so here is the link to the film on Vimeo,
and YouTube, part 1, and part 2