1938 Tour de France
The 32nd Tour de France takes place from 5 to 31 July 1938 and led the 96 starters on 21 stages over 4694 km. Through the abolition of the team time trial of the individual driver 's individual performance has been upgraded. 55 riders reached the finish in Paris and counted.
Race course
The Tour de France in 1938 was determined by the duel between the Belgian Félicien Vervaecke and the Italian Gino Bartali. In the Pyrenees Vervaecke could win the stage from Pau to Luchon and take the yellow jersey.
However, on the hardest stage in the Alps of Digne -les- Bains to Briançon over the Col d' Allos, Col de Vars and the Col d'Izoard Bartali could show off and took his opponent over 17 minutes. In addition there were time bonuses totaling 5:43 minutes because the Italians not only won the stage, but all the mountains crossed first. His moved out at this stage lead in the overall standings melted on the way to Paris together a bit, but came no longer in danger.
Bartali, who also was pleased about winning the mountains classification, achieved in the itinerary an average speed of 31.565 km / h Vervaecke won with his Belgian team after all, still the team title.
Antonin Magne, who won in 1931 and 1934, the tour ended his cycling career befitting a stage win on the final stage to Paris at the Parc des Princes. Also André Leducq, Tour winner of 1930 and 1932 could be pleased with such a farewell. Together with Magne he had run away and the sprint of the two, there was no clear winner, so the commissioners both drivers declared a stage winner.