Tonight’s post is going to be a short one. It’s been a busy weekend for Mistah Rant, with a friend of ours coming into town for a visit, and all the preparations that go into that. Throw in a couple of rides, and a few other things to do, and time slips away.
Friday was an interesting date in Tour history. In addition to being the date that Floyd Landis first captured the yellow jersey last year, it was the 40th anniversary of the unfortunate and untimely death of Tom Simpson, one of the first great English riders to compete in the Tour de France.
Thursday July 13, 1967 should have been a lucky day for Simpson, who once claimed that 13 was his lucky number. It was anything but. On the 13th day of July, on the 13th stage of the Tour, Simpson’s good luck ran out.
The stage ran from Marseille to Carpentras. On the way, the riders would climb Mont Ventoux. Anyone who has ridden up Mont Ventoux can attest that it’s a difficult climb. But imagine the climb on a brutally hot day. Accounts vary as to just how hot is was, with some reports saying the temperature was about 40C (104F). Other reports suggest that at various points along the tarmac, the temperature was as hot as 45C (113F) or even 55C (131F). Whatever it was, it was bloody hot.
And along the way up the mountain, there are precious few places to find shade. Especially towards the top of the mountain, which has a lunar-like landscape of barren rock.
At the start of the race, Simpson was 7th in the overall classification and gunning for a spot on the podium. His team wasn’t the strongest, but they worked well together. Back then, Tour rules limited just how much liquid the riders could consume on the hot stages — 4 bidons, or approximately 2 liters of liquid for the entire day. Back then, no water bottle hand-ups were allowed.
The riders found ways to circumvent the rules, often stopping to raid cafes, restaurants or bars en route in order to refill their bottles. At their final stop, near the base of Ventoux, Simpson didn’t fill with water. Instead, he took a few sips of cognac from a bottle being passed around. Not the brightest idea, given that alcohol is known to dehydrate a person. But that wasn’t as well known in 1967 as it is today.
Simpson attacked early on the climb, gaining some time on Julio Jiminez, the rider who would go on to win the stage. But he wasn’t able to sustain his pace and was soon passed by Jimenez, Ray Poulidor and a number of other riders. Simpson fell in with a chase group, and for a large part of the climb, he could see the leading riders. He kept trying to bridge the gap, but never could. As he tired, fans would run beside him and give him a push.
But it wasn’t enough. The heat took its toll on Simpson, and about 2 miles from the summit he started weaving erratically from one side of the road to the other. A bit more than a mile from the summit, he fell off his bike. Several fans helped him back on his bike, but he could only go a few hundred meters more before collapsing again.
The Tour’s doctor and others tried to revive him, and a helicopter was summoned to take him to a nearby hospital. Despite a number of people’s best efforts, Simpson never regained consciousness.
An autopsy found traces of amphetamines in his body. And amphetamines were also found in his cycling jersey. While amphetamines are not listed as the cause of death, the official inquiry left no doubt that Simpson’s use of the drugs that day enabled him to push his body beyond its normal limits. The official cause of death: Dehydration, oxygen deprivation and overwork.
The shockwaves that Simpson’s death sent throughout the peloton were enormous. Legend has it, however, that only one professional cyclist showed up for Simpson’s funeral — a young rider from Belgium named Eddy Merckx, the (at that point) future 5-time winner of the Tour.
Simpson was known for his sense of humor. Once, in speaking about using stimulants while racing, he quipped, “If it takes ten to kill you, I’ll take nine and win.” Unfortunately for Tom Simpson, the combination of amphetamines and extreme heat on the slopes on Mont Ventoux led to a tragic end.
One year later, a memorial to Tom Simpson was placed near the site where he collapsed on Mont Ventoux.
Stages 7 And 8 Of The 2007 Tour
If you didn’t watch the Tour coverage this weekend, you missed a treat. Stage 7 was won by second-year pro Linus Gerdemann, a German rider on the T-Mobile team, in classic style, riding away from a large breakaway group containing most (if not all) of the main contenders for the overall victory. It was an inspiring ride from a cyclist competing in his first Tour. Gerdemann is a rider to keep your eyes on in the future.
Today’s stage added more excitement, with Michael Rasmussen of Denmark riding away from a small lead group less than 18 kilometers from the finish and building up enough of a lead to put him in the yellow jersey for Tuesday’s start. In those final kilometers, Christophe Moreau kept pushing, trying to find a way to gain back some of the time his group was losing to the Dane. Moreau found no helpers, and he had no teammates in his group. But he kept attacking on the climb, trying as best he could to gain any time or any advantage. It was an outsized effort. Perhaps too much.
But with tomorrow being a rest day and the chance for an easy recovery ride, he may come back on Tuesday refreshed. Moreau, if he hasn’t blown his engine, may add yet more excitement as the Tour progresses. And with Klöden helping Vinokourov, we can’t count Vino out just yet, either. Twelve more stages between now and the final podium in Paris on the 29th. The 2007 edition of the Tour promises more excitement and surprises between now and then.
Thank you, Rant.
Two great posts. I had no idea they weren’t allowed extra water!!! Even then, what kind of crazy idea was that?!!! But that explains a little that I remember about the cafe raids, and grabbing trays of food from restaurants, that I read once. That article was waxing poetically about the “old” days in cycling, and failed to mentoin that they starved and dehydrated the riders, too!!
I’m starting to feel Mr Moreau deserves a place on the podium, if he keeps riding like he did today. Wouldn’t that make the french happy?
Rant,
thank you for remembering Simpson. it’s such a shame that they are so near, yet bypassing his memorial this year on the Tour, the 40th anniversary, not wanting to draw any more attention to doping in the sport. Simpson was indeed a character and talk about heart! i hadn’t realised that Merckx was the only pro cyclist to go to his funeral. one more reason to adore Eddy, as if i needed any.
Theresa,
Things have changed a lot in 40 years. In part because of what happened to Tom Simpson. Those who wax poetic about the “good old days” would do well to remember just how much the riders suffered, especially in the heat.
If Christophe Moreau keeps riding well, he might just earn a spot on the podium, which I’m sure the French cycling fans would love to see. Who wouldn’t want to see a countryman place well in their own race?
Cam,
There’s even more to Simpson’s story than what I put here. Someday, I’ll tell even more of his story. It’s a shame that they’re bypassing his memorial. It would be a fitting tribute to a rider with grit and determination — and a big heart — for the Tour to pass by and honor his memory. Eddy Merckx is a true champion and a man of great class, and this episode is but one illustration of his character.
– Rant