Tom Simpson Memorial

[AnthemZ]

I spent all last week in Southern France, and I spent a day on the Mont Ventoux. This mountain in very famous for cyclists, and is a big part of the Tour de France. There was a rider named Tom Simpson who died during the 1967 Tour, just near the top.

At the start of the 1967 Tour de France, Simpson was optimistic that
he could make an impact on the event. After the first week he was sixth overall, but a stomach bug began to affect his form, and he lost vital time in a stage including the Col du Galibier. In Marseille, at the start of stage 13 on Thursday 13 July, he was still suffering the effects as the race headed into Provence on a blisteringly hot day, and was seen to drink brandy during the early parts of the stage. In those years, tour organisers limited each rider to four bottles (bidons) of water, circa 2 litres - the effects of dehydration being poorly understood. During races, riders often raided roadside bars and cafes for drinks, and filled their bottles from fountains.

On the day's main climb, Mont Ventoux, Simpson broke away early, but was soon passed by the eventual stage winner, Jan Janssen, and four others. About two kilometres from the summit, Simpson began to zig-zag erratically across the road, eventually falling against an embankment. His team manager, Alec Taylor, said later in Cycling that he feared for Simpson less then than in the way he expected him to descend the other side of the mountain. The rushing air would revive him but Taylor feared that Simpson, whom he described in his article as a madcap descender, would overdo things and crash.

While his team-car helpers wanted him to retire from the race, Simpson insisted on being put back on his cycle and he continued for another 500m or so before again beginning to falter; he toppled unconscious into the arms of his helpers, still gripping his handlebars. A motorcycle policeman summoned the race doctor, Pierre Dumas, who took over team officials' first attempts at saving Simpson, including mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Dumas massaged Simpson's heart and gave him oxygen. A race helicopter then took Simpson to a nearby hospital but Simpson was declared dead soon after his arrival. Two tubes of amphetamines and a further empty tube were found in the rear pocket of his racing jersey.

Simpson's last words, as remembered by the team mechanic, Harry Hall (d. 2007), and by the manager, Alec Taylor (d. 1997), were "Go on, go on!" The words "Put me back on my bike!" were invented by Sid Saltmarsh, covering the event for The Sun and Cycling, who was not there at the time.

On the next day, the other riders were reluctant to continue racing so soon after Simpson's death and asked the organisers for a postponement. The French rider Jean Stablinski proposed instead that the race would go on but that one of the British riders would be allowed to win the stage. This honour went to Barry Hoban.

This is how far he was from the finish at the summit!



The view from the memorial!

[AnthemZ]

[Vardar]

Originally Posted by AnthemZ

...There was a rider named Tom Simpson who died during the 1967 Tour, just near the top.

Nobody's moved the body?

[Legmann]

Quite a story! Wow!

[BroadLeaf]

world famous story in France..

nice 2 honour him.

[Mugzy]

great share, thanks AnthZ!

[bensonboo]

I missed the bit on the memorial where it described his amphetamine use.

[TheLancinator]

Nice pix Anthem! How was the trip?

[AnthemZ]

Originally Posted by bensonboo

I missed the bit on the memorial where it described his amphetamine use.

It doesn't, but it also doesn't mention that the riders were only allowed 4 bottles of water!

Things were different back then! Many riders used amphetamine's to get their bodies going. Sounds stupid now, but how many are using and have been busted for new drugs?

In the second YouTube clip, it's talked about. And cyclists all know the story!