1966 Tour de France

The 53rd Tour de France took place from 21 June to 14 July 1966, resulted in 22 stages over 4303 km. Once again, the started as favorite Frenchman Raymond Poulidor could not prevail. It was attended by 130 racers participated in the tour, of which 82 were classified.

Race course

The German Rudi Altig won on the first stage by 47 seconds ahead and took over the yellow jersey that he could defend to the foot of the Pyrenees. During the 12th stage after Revel Altig managed another victory. At this stage, the Cologne Karl -Heinz customer took over the overall lead and was able to go five days in yellow. At the end of the tour reached customer with a 9th place his only Top 10 - placing in the general classification of the Tour de France. Rudi Altig won the overall ranking of the most combative rider for themselves.

Raymond Poulidor could hope for the overall win after his victory in the second time trial in Vals- les- Bains, after he had beaten for the first time the strong time trialist Jacques Anquetil in the specialized discipline. However, after the time trial was Poulidor already almost five minutes behind the Dutchman Jan Janssen and largely unknown Frenchman Lucien Aimar.

On the first tough stages in the Alps to Briançon won the Spaniard Julio Jiménez, at the end of the tour also won the mountain classification for itself. The favorites Anquetil and Poulidor eyed each other and simultaneously drove to the finish, as well as the next day on the stage to Turin. At this stage, Aimar went out enough of a lead on the two Frenchmen and the Dutch Janssen, so that he could not be obtained to Paris.

Poulidor noticed the danger by his compatriot too late, he could reduce his deficit only at the end and finished third overall. With Janssen as Tourzweitem first time was a Dutchman on the podium. Anquetil rose to the 19th stage on his last tour participation by a disease weakened from. But he could still contribute to the victory of his team, as Poulidor was distracted by him, as Anquetil teammate Aimar went out on Poulidor the crucial minutes.

In Bordeaux there was a strike by drivers after an unannounced doping control of the French judiciary. Five kilometers after the start stopped the driver and Rik Van Looy invited as speaker of the driver not to perform nightly checks more. As a re- inspection took place on the 13th stage, six drivers tested positive.

The stages

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