In the tumultuous times of World War II, the Tour de France found itself forced to silence its cycling magic. The organizers’ resistance to holding the event under the shadow of German occupation in France echoed in an involuntary hiatus. The year 1940 was supposed to witness the spectacle of bicycles, but the course of war dismantled that dream. In an unusual gesture, the Germans attempted to open borders between the occupied north and southern France to maintain a fictional normalcy, an offer rejected by L’Auto. In a scenario of substitutes, other competitions emerged. After the conflict, L’Auto closed its doors, leaving the organization of the Tour under the auspices of the French government. Two sports newspapers raced for the rights, culminating in a small five-stage Tour, with L’Équipe emerging victorious. Thus, in 1947, the Tour de France was reborn under the hands of L’Équipe.
Before the Silence of the Wheels
Europe, pre-World War II, already felt the political ripples in Tour de France cycling. Italy, Germany, and Spain refused to send teams to the 1939 Tour de France, influenced by political reasons. Gino Bartali, the 1938 champion, found himself among the affected. Desgrange and Goddet, key figures in the organization, scheduled the Tour for August 1940, unaware of the impending hiatus.
Races in Dark Times
- Tour de France in 1940
- Tour de France in 1941
- Tour de France in 1942
- Circuit de France in 1942
- Tour de France in 1943
- Grand Prix du Tour de France in 1943
- Grand Prix du Tour de France
In this tumultuous context, the planned and executed editions during the occupation become records of a cycling era interrupted by the brutality of war.