Cycling/ Tour de France/ Mountains/ Allos - Lot 47

Cycling/ Tour de France/ Mountains/ Allos An extremely rare document, seen for the first time by specialists. This "Laissez-Passer cette voiture officielle du Tour de France 1939", stamped with the signature of the printed Tour Director H. Desgrange, is a perfect museum piece. This little green bristol bears witness to the Tour's success and the organizers' efforts to ensure the event's regularity, as in the past unauthorized vehicles had on several occasions distorted the race, allowing riders to hang on (editor's note: Speicher), when they didn't crush their machines. That year, the 15th stage of the Tour, from Digne to Briançon on Wednesday, July 26, 1939, was the decisive one. It included the three historic Allos-Vars-Izoard passes. If in Allos, Vietto, the yellow jersey clung on, ahead of the driver of our authorized car, Vissers, Gianello, Bernardoni, Ritserveldt, and S. Maes with the leader hot on their heels. It was on the Izoard that the latter cracked, leaving stage victory, yellow jersey, best climber classification and a decisive step towards overall victory to Belgian Sylvère Maes for a well-deserved double. A doubly historic piece: never seen before, the turning point of the Tour. 9 x 11 cm. Good condition.