1947 Tour de France

34th edition: June 25 - July 20, 1947

Results, stages with running GC, photos and history

1939 Tour | 1948 Tour | Tour de France Database | 1947 Tour Quick Facts | 1947 Tour de France Final GC | Stage results with running GC | The Story of the 1947 Tour de France

Map of the 1947 Tour de France

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Les Woodland's book Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Story - all the bumps of cycling's cobbled classic is available as an audiobook here.

1947 Tour Quick Facts:

4,640 km ridden at an average speed of 31.412 km/hr. Unlike the immediate pre-war Tours, the 1947 Tour had no half-stages.

100 starters aligned on national and regional teams with 53 classified finishers.

It looked like perpetual great hope René Vietto would finally win the Tour de France, but in stage 15, Jean Robic took off and gained, including time time bonuses, fifteen minutes.

After a good time trial in stage 19, Robic was set for his famous coup.

In the final stage, he attacked while the yellow jersey Brambilla was blocked in the peloton. Robic's break was successful (perhaps partly because of post-war French resentment against the Brambilla's being Italian) and made Robic the first rider to win the Yellow Jersey without ever having worn it in the Tour.

Time Bonuses: 1 minute and 30 seconds at the stage finishes. Same for 1st category mountains; 30 and 15 seconds for 2nd category climbs.

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1947 Tour de France Complete Final General Classification:

1. Jean Robic (France West) 148hr 11min 25sec
2. Édouard Fachleitner (France) @ 3min 58sec
3. Pierre Brambilla (Italy) @ 10min 7sec
4. Aldo Ronconi (Italy) @ 11min 0sec
5. René Vietto (France) @ 15min 23sec
6. Raymond Impanis (Belgium) @ 18min 14sec
7. Fermo Camellini (Holland-Entrangers de France) @ 24min 8sec
8. Giodano Cottur (Italy) @ 1hr 6min 3sec
9. Jean-Marie Goasmat (France West) @ 1hr 16min 3sec
10. Jean-Apôtre "Apo" Lazaridès (France South-East) @ 1hr 18min 44sec
11. Lucien Teisseire (France) @ 1hr 32min 16sec
12. Pierre Cogan (France West) @ 1hr 44min 55sec
13. Albéric (Briek) Schotte (Belgium) @ 1hr 56min 45sec
14. Giuseppe Tacca (Italy) @ 2hr 5min 7sec
15. Jean "Bim" Diederich (Switzerland-Luxembourg) @ 2hr 10min 43sec
16. Daniel Thuayre (France Île de France) @ 2hr 13min 4sec
17. Gottfried Weilenmann (Switzerland-Luxembourg) @ 2hr 18min 23sec
18. Jean Kirchen (Switzerland-Luxembourg) @ 2hr 20min 26sec
19. Paul Giguet (France South-East) @ 2hr 26min 25sec
20. Jean Goldschmit (Switzerland-Luxembourg) @ 2hr 32min 24sec
21. Albert Bourlon (France Center South-West)@ 2hr 38min 18sec
22. Bernard Gauthier (France South-East) @ 2hr 52min 45sec
23. Primo Volpi (Italy) @ 3hr 2min 48sec
24. Roger Lévêque (France Center South-West) @ 3hr 5min 4sec
25. Kléber Piot (France) @ 3hr 10min 48sec
26. Antoine Latorre (France Center South-West) @ 3hr 14min 40sec
27. Florent Mathieu (Belgium) @ 3hr 16min 28sec
28. Roul Rémy (France Souht-East) @ 3hr 20min 31sec
29. Marius Bonnet (France South-East) @ 3hr 21min 20sec
30. Henri Massal (France) @ 3hr 25min 49sec
31. Egidio Feruglio (Italy) @ 3hr 43min 4sec
32. Jefke Janssen (Holland-Entrangers de France) @ 3hr 57min 11sec
33. Ange Le Strat (France West) @ 4hr 6min 23sec
34. Édouard Kablinski (Holland-Entrangers de France) @ 4hr 6min 36sec
35. Louis Deprez (France North-East) @ 4hr 9min 29sec
36. Édouard Muller (France Île de France) @ 4hr 17min 28sec
37. Éloi Tassin (France West) @ 4hr 23min 49sec
38. Renée Oreel (Belgium) @ 4hr 29min 6sec
39. Pascal Gnazzo (France South-East) @ 3hr 34min 9sec
40. Joseph Neri (France Center South-West) @ 4hr 36min 27sec
41. René Barret (France Île de France) @ 4hr 38min 31sec
42. Maurice Mollin (Belgium) @ 4hr 42min 27sec
43. Roger Gyselinck (Belgium) @ 4hr 43min 47sec
44. Raymond Lucas (France Île de France) @ 4hr 45min 14sec
45. Jean Breuer (Belgium) @ 4hr 45min 14sec
46. Jean De Gribaldy (France North-East) @ 4hr 51min 44sec
47. Victory Joly (Holland-Entrangers de France) @ 4hr 52min 18sec
48. Alexandre Pawlisiak (France North-East) @ 5hr 4min 6sec
49. Maurice Diot (France Île de France) @ 5hr 20min 43sec
50. Gaston Rousseau (France East) @ 5hr 34min 1sec
51. Gaston Audier (France North-East) @ 5hr 37min 55sec
52. Leo Weilenmann (Switzerland-Luxembourg) @ 6hr 5min 34sec
53. Pietro Tarchini (Switzerland-Luxembourg) @ 7hr 48min 18sec

Climbers' Competition:

1. Pierre Brambilla (Italy): 98 points
2. Jean-Apôtre "Apo" Lazaridès (France South-East): 88
3. Jean Robic (France West): 70
4. Fermo Camellini (Holland-Entrangers de France): 63
5. Aldo Ronconi (Italy): 63
6. René Vietto (France): 63
7. Édouard Fachleitner (France): 35
8. Jean-Marie Goasmat (France-West): 27
9. Giordano Cottur (Italy): 25
10. Lucien Teisseire (France): 19

Team GC:

1. Italy: 446hr 1min 25sec
2. France: @ 23hr 57min
3. France West @ 1hr 33min 48sec
4. Belgium @ 4hr 4min 17sec
5. France South-East @ 5hr 10min 44sec
6. Switzerland-Luxembourg @ 5hr 22min 22sec

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1947 Tour stage results with running GC:

Stage 1: Wednesday, June 25, Paris - Lille, 236 km

1. Ferdy Kübler: 6hr 51min 55sec
2. André Mahé s.t.
3. Kléber Piot @ 1min 24sec
4. Arie Van Vooren @ 1min 30sec
5. Édouard Klabinski @ 1min 39sec
6. Briek Schotte @ 1min 47sec
7. Aldo Ronconi @ 1min 52sec
8. Pierre Branbilla @ 1min 57sec
9. Jean Robic @ 2min 9sec
10. Giuseppe Tacca s.t.

GC after Stage 1

1. Ferdy Kübler: 6hr 51min 55sec
2. André Mahé @ 30sec
3. Kléber Piot @ 2min 24sec
4. Arie Van Vooren @ 2min 30sec
5. Édouard Klabinski @ 2min 39sec
6. Briek Schotte @ 2min 47sec
7. Aldo Ronconi @ 2min 52sec
8. Pierre Branbilla 2 2min 57sec
9. Jean Robic @ 3min 9sec
10. Giuseppe Tacca s.t.

Stage 2: Thursday, June 26, Lille - Brussels, 182 km

1. René Vietto: 5hr 5min 52sec
2. Raymond Impanis @ 1min 41sec
3. Prosper Depredomme s.t.
4. Fermo Camellini @ 8min 59sec
5. Aldo Ronconi s.t.
6. Jean Breuer s.t.
7. Pierre Cogan s.t.
8. André Mahé s.t.
9. Pierre Brambilla s.t.

GC after Stage 2:

1. René Vietto: 11hr 59min 45sec
2. Raymond Impanis @ 3min 28sec
3. André Mahé @ 6min 31sec
4. Aldo Ronconi @ 8min 53sec
5. Pierre Brambilla @ 8min 58sec
6. Arie Van Vooren @ 10min 15sec
7. Briek Schotte @ 10min 22sec
8. Jean Robic @ 10min 44sec
9. Ferdy Kübler @ 11min 18sec
10. Giuseppe Tacca @ 11min 28sec

Stage 3: Friday, June 27, Brussels - Luxembourg, 314 km

1. Aldo Ronconi: 10hr 59min 13sec
2. Pierre Cogan @ 5min 34sec
3. Fermo Camellini s.t.
4. Pierre Brambilla s.t.
5. René Vietto @ 6min 31sec
6. Vincenzo Rossello @ 11min 8sec
7. Antoine Latorre @ 11min 43sec
8. Jean Robic @ 15min 1sec
9. Maurice Diot @ 17min 27sec
10. Gottfried Weilenmann s.t.

GC after Stage 3:

1. René Vietto: 23hr 5min 29sec
2. Aldo Ronconi @ 1min 22sec
3. Pierre Brambilla @ 8min 1sec
4. Pierre Cogan @ 10min 56sec
5. Fermo Camellini @ 12min 11sec
6. Raymond Impanis @ 15min 4sec
7. Jean Robic @ 19min 24sec
8. Gottfried Weilenmann @ 23min 47sec
9. Briek Schotte @ 26min 23sec
10. Giuseppe Tacca @ 27min 19sec

Stage 4: Saturday, June 18, Luxembourg - Strasbourg, 223 km

1. Jean Robic: 8hr 14min 29sec
2. Ferdy Kübler @ 1min 1sec
3. Maurice Diot @ 2min 53sec
4. Alexnadre Pawlisiak s.t.
5. Raoul Rémy s.t.
6. Albert Sercu @ 3min 15sec
7. Pierre Cogan s.t.
8. Giuseppe Tacca s.t.
9. Florent Mathieu s.t.
10. Briek Schotte s.t.

GC after Stage 4:

1. René Vietto: 31hr 23min 13sec
2. Aldo Ronconi @ 1min 22sec
3. Pierre Brambilla @ 8min 1sec
4. Pierre Cogan @ 10min 56sec
5. Fermo Camellini @ 12min 11sec
6. Jean Robic @ 15min 9sec
7. Gottfried Weilenmann @ 23min 47sec
8. Raymond Impanis @ 24min 29sec
9. Briek Schotte @ 26min 23sec
10. Giuseppe Tacca @ 27min 19sec

Stage 5: Sunday, June 29, Strasbourg - Besançon, 248 km

1. Ferdy Kübler: 8hr 10min 45sec
2. Vincenzo Rossello s.t.
3. Robert Bonnaventure s.t.
4. Florent Mathieu s.t.
5. Leo Amberg @ 1min 1sec
6. Eloi Tassin s.t.
7. Primo Volpi @ 1min 31sec
8. Roger Levêque s.t.
9. Raymond Impanis s.t.
10. Raymond Lucas s.t.

GC after Stage 5:

1. René Vietto: 39hr 36min 1sec
2. Aldo Ronconi @ 1min 22sec
3. Pierre Brambilla @ 8min 1sec
4. Pierre Cogan @ 10min 56sec
5. Fermo Camellini @ 12min 11sec
6. Jean Robic @ 15min 9sec
7. Gottfried Weilenmann @ 23min 47sec
8. Raymond Impanis @ 23min 57sec
9. Briek Schotte @ 26min 23sec
10. Giuseppe Tacca @ 27min 19sec

Stage 6: Tuesday, July 1, Besançon - Lyon, 249 km

1. Lucien Teisseire: 6hr 55min 37sec
2. Édouard Fachleitner s.t.
3. Albert Bourlon s.t.
4. Bernard Gauthier @ 43sec
5. Gaston Audier @ 13min 57sec
6. Emile Idée @ 17min 17sec
7. Eloi Tassin s.t.
8. Jo Dessertine s.t.
9. Maurice Mollin s.t.
10. Édouard Klabinski s.t.

GC after Stage 6:

1. René Vietto: 46hr 49min 21sec
2. Aldo Ronconi @ 1min 22sec
3. Pierre Brambilla @ 8min 1sec
4. Pierre Cogan @ 10min 56sec
5. Fermo Camellini @ 12min 11sec
6. Jean Robic @ 15min 9sec
7. Édouard Fachleitner @ 21min 18sec
8. Gottfried Weilenmann @ 23min 47sec
9. Raymond Impanis @ 23min 57sec
10. Briek Schotte @ 26min 23sec

Stage 7: Wednesday, July 2, Lyon - Grenoble, 172 km

Major ascents: L'Epine, Granier, Cucheron, Porte

1. Jean Robic: 5hr 29min 46sec
2. Pierre Brambilla @ 4min 36sec
3. Édouard Fachleitner s.t.
4. Aldo Ronconi @ 5min 48sec
5. Raymond Impanis @ 7min 43sec
6. Giordano Cottur @ 8min 5sec
7. René Vietto @ 8min 24sec
8. Paul Giguet s.t.
9. Vincenzo Rossello s.t.
10. Pierre Cogan @ 9min 29sec

GC after Stage 7:

1. Aldo Ronconi: 52hr 26min 2sec
2. René Vietto @ 1min 29sec
3. Pierre Brambilla @ 4min 12sec
4. Jean Robic @ 7min 14sec
5. Pierre Cogan @ 13min 30sec
6. Fermo Camellini @ 17min 45sec
7. Édouard Fachleitner @ 18min 29sec
8. Raymond Impanis @ 24min 45sec
9. Gottfried Weilenmann @ 28min 49sec
10. Briek Schotte @ 28min 57sec

Stage 8: Thursday, July 3, Grenoble - Briançon, 185 km

Major ascents: Glandon, Croix de Fer, Télégraphe, Galibier

1. Fermo Camellini: 6hr 49min 7sec
2. Pierre Brambilla @ 8min 6sec
3. Jean-Apo Lazarides @ 8min 8sec
4. Giodano Cottur @ 10min 35sec
5. Aldo Ronconi s.t.
6. Jean-Marie Goasmat s.t.
7. René Vietto s.t.
8. Édouard Fachleitner s.t.
9. Vincenzo Rossello @ 13min 42sec
10. Giuseppe Tacca @ 14min 1sec

GC after Stage 8:

1. Aldo Ronconi: 59hr 25min 44sec
2. Pierre Brambilla @ 1min 13sec
3. René Vietto @ 1min 29sec
4. Fermo Camellini @ 3min 10sec
5. Jean Robic @ 13min 5sec
6. Édouard Fachleitner @ 18min 29sec
7. Pierre Cogan @ 19min 21sec
8. Gottfried Weilenmann @ 34min 40sec
9. Raymond Impanis @ 37min 14sec
10. Giordano Cottur @ 37min 20sec

Stage 9: Saturday, July 5, Briançon - Digne, 217 km

Major asents: Izoard, Vars, Allos

1. René Vietto: 7hr 23min 15sec
2. Jean-Apo Lazaridès s.t.
3. Pierre Brambilla @ 4min 20sec
4. Jean Robic @ 6min 34sec
5. Lucien Teisseire s.t.
6. Édouard Fachleitner s.t.
7. Fermo Camellini s.t.
8. Raymond Impanis @ 7min 43sec
9. Also Ronconi s.t.
10. Paul Giguet s.t.

GC after Stage 9:

1. René Vietto: 66hr 48min 28sec
2. Pierre Brambilla @ 5min 4sec
3. Aldo Ronconi @ 8min 14sec
4. Fermo Camellini @ 10min 15sec
5. Jean Robic @ 18min 10sec
6. Édouard Fachleitner @ 25min 34sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 45min 28sec
8. Giordano Cottur @ 58min 5sec
9. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 58min 34sec
10. Pierre Cogan @ 1hr 5min 35sec

Stage 10: Sunday, July 6, Digne - Nice, 255 km

Major ascents: Braus, Castillon, La Turbie

1. Fermo Camellini: 8hr 7min 59sec
2. Aldo Ronconi @ 2min
3. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 2min 1sec
4. Norbert Callens @ 2min 14sec
5. Giuseppe Tacca @ 4min 19sec
6. Daniel Thuayre s.t.
7. Jean-Marie Goasmat s.t.
8. Pierre Brambilla s.t.
9. René Vietto @ 6min 19sec
10. Édouard Fachleitner s.t.

GC after Stage 10:

1. René Vietto: 75hr 2min 46sec
2. Fermo Camellini @ 2min 11sec
3. Pierre Brambilla @ 3min 4sec
4. Aldo Ronconi @ 3min 25sec
5. Jean Robic @ 25min 5sec
6. Édouard Fachleitner @ 25min 34sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 48min 22sec
8. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 53min 31sec
9. Giordano Cottur @ 1hr 7min 18sec
10. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 1hr 7min 44sec

Stage 11: Tuesday, July 8, Nice - Marseille, 230 km

1. Édouard Fachleitner: 6hr 31min 0sec
2. Raoul Rémy @ 8min 35sec
3. Marius Bonnet @ 15min 17sec
4. Jean Goldschmit @ 15min 42sec
5. Jean-Marie Goasmat s.t.
6. Pascal Gnazzo @ 16min 10sec
7. Paul Giguet s.t.
8. Joseph Néri s.t.
9. Jean Robic @ 16min 42sec
10. Maurice Mollin @ 16min 51sec

GC after Stage 11:

1. René Vietto: 81hr 52min 12sec
2. Fermo Camellini @ 2min 11sec
3. Pierre Brambilla @ 3min 4sec
4. Aldo Ronconi @ 3min 25sec
5. Édouard Fachleitner @ 6min 16sec
6. Jean Robic @ 23min 21sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 48min 22sec
8. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 53min 31sec
9. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 1hr 5min 0sec
10. Giordano Cottur @ 1hr 7min 18sec

Stage 12: Wednesday, July 9, Marseille - Montpellier, 165 km

1. Henri Massal: 4hr 57min 40sec
2. Jean Diederich s.t.
3. Edouard Muller s.t.
4. Alexandre Pawlisiak s.t.
5. Vincenzo Rossello s.t.
6. Roger Gyselinck s.t.
7. Bernard Gauthier s.t.
8. Albert Bourlon s.t.
9. Raymond Lucas s.t.
10. René Oreel @ 6sec

GC after Stage 12:

1. René Vietto: 86hr 58min 42sec
2. Fermo Camellini @ 2min 11sec
3. Pierre Brambilla @ 3min 4sec
4. Aldo Ronconi @ 3min 25sec
5. Édouard Fachleitner @ 6min 16sec
6. Jean Robic @ 23min 21sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 48min 22sec
8. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 53min 31sec
9. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 1hr 5min 0sec
10. Giordano Cottur @ 1hr 7min 18sec

Stage 13: Thusday, July 10, Montpellier - Carcassonne, 172 km

1. Lucien Teisseire: 5hr 18min 35sec
2. Norbert Callens s.t.
3. Raymond Impanis s.t.
4. Briek Schotte s.t.
5. Florent Mathieu @ 15sec
6. Roger Levêque s.t.
7. Henri Massal @ 1min 7sec
8. Pietro Tarchini @ 3min 21sec
9. Antoine Latorre s.t.
10. Raymond Lucas @ 11min 11sec

GC after Stage 13:

1. René Vietto: 92hr 30min 0sec
2. Fermo Camellini @ 2min 11sec
3. Pierre Brambilla @ 3min 4sec
4. Aldo Ronconi @ 3min 25sec
5. Édouard Fachleitner @ 6min 16sec
6. Jean Robic @ 23min 21sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 35min 39sec
8. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 1hr 5min 0sec
9. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 1hr 6min 15sec
10. Giordano Cottur @ 1hr 7min 18sec

Stage 14: Friday, July 11, Carcassonne - Luchon, 253 km

Major ascents: Port, Portet d'Aspet

1. Albert Bourlon: 8hr 10min 11sec
2. Norbert Callens @ 16min 20sec
3. Giordano Cottur @ 16min 31sec
4. Giuseppe Tacca @ 18min 52sec
5. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 18min 54sec
6. Jean Robic @ 22min 32sec
7. Lucien Teisseire s.t.
8. Paul Giguet s.t.
9. Gottfried Weilenmann s.t.
10. Marius Bonnet s.t.

GC after Stage 14:

1. René Vietto: 101hr 2min 43sec
2. Fermo Camellini @ 2min 11sec
3. Pierre Brambilla @ 3min 4sec
4. Aldo Ronconi @ 3min 25sec
5. Édouard Fachleitner @ 6min 16sec
6. Jean Robic @ 23min 21sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 35min 39sec
8. Giordano Cottur @ 1hr 1min 17sec
9. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 1hr 1min 22sec
10. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 1hr 6min 15sec

Stage 15: Sunday, July 13, Luchon - Pau, 195 km

Major ascents: Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet, Aubisque

1. Jean Robic: 6hr 46min 11sec
2. René Vietto @ 10min 43sec
3. Aldo Ronconi s.t.
4. Édouard Fachleitner s.t.
5. Peirre Brambilla s.t.
6. Jean Goldschmit s.t.
7. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 10min 54drv
8. Raymond Impanis @ 18min 41sec
9. Lucien Teisseire @ 22min 9sec
10. Primo Volpi @ 22min 17sec
11. Fermo Camellini @ 22min 48sec

GC after stage 15:

1. René Vietto: 107hr 59min 7sec
2. Pierre Brambilla @ 1min 34sec
3. Aldo Ronconi @ 3min 55sec
4. Édouard Fachleitner @ 6min 46sec
5. Jean Robic @ 8min 8sec
6. Fermo Camellini @ 14min 46sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 43min 57sec
8. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 1hr 6min 56sec
9. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 1hr 15min 28sec
10. Giordano Cottur @ 1hr 18min 59sec

Stage 16: Monday, July 14, Pau - Bordeaux, 195 km

Tarchini was first across the line but was relegated to last of his group for pulling on Tacca's jersey.

1. Giuseppe Tacca: 5hr 14min 39sec
2. Maurice Mollin s.t.
3. Alexnadre Pawlisiak s.t.
4. Antoine Latorre s.t.
5. Jean-Marie Goasmat s.t.
6. Raoul Rémy s.t.
7. Victor Joly s.t.
8. Florent Mathieu s.t.
9. Pietro Tarchini s.t.
10. Bernard Gauthier @ 30sec

GC after Stage 16:

1. René Vietto: 113hr 44min 13sec
2. Pierre Brambilla @ 1min 34sec
3. Aldo Ronconi @ 3min 55sec
4. Édouard Fachleitner @ 6min 46sec
5. Jean Robic @ 8min 8sec
6. Fermo Camellini @ 14min 46sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 43min 57sec
8. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 1hr 3min 59sec
9. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 1hr 12min 1sec
10. Giordano Cottur @ 1hr 18min 59sec

Stage 17: Tuesday, July 15, Bordeaux - Les Sables d'Olonne, 272 km

1. Eloi Tassin: 8hr 59min 5sec
2. Briek Schotte @ 1min 10sec
3. Pietro Tarchini s.t.
4. Raymond Lucas s.t.
5. Bernard Gauthier s.t.
6. Ange Le Strat s.t.
7. Édouard Klabinski s.t.
8. Primo Volpi s.t.
9. Jean Diederich s.t.
10. Raoul Rémy @ 3min 12sec

GC after Stage 17:

1. René Vietto: 122hr 48min 3sec
2. Pierre Brambilla @ 1min 34sec
3. Aldo Ronconi @ 3min 55sec
4. Édouard Fachleitner @ 6min 46sec
5. Jean Robic @ 8min 8sec
6. Fermo Camellini @ 15min 16sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 43min 57sec
8. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 1hr 3min 59sec
9. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 1hr 12min 1sec
10. Giordano Cottur @ 1hr 18min 59sec

Stage 18: Wednesday, July 16, Les Sables d'Olonne - Vannes, 236 km

1. Pietro Tarchini: 7hr 10min 7sec
2. Paul Giguet s.t.
3. Gottfried Weilenmann s.t.
4. Briek Schotte s.t.
5. René Barret s.t.
6. Raoul Rémy s.t.
7. Jean Diederich s.t.
8. Maurice Mollin s.t.
9. Jean-Marie Goasmat s.t.
10. Roger Levêque s.t.

GC after stage 18:

1. René Vietto: 130hr 6min 29sec
2. Pierre Brambilla @ 1min 34sec
3. Aldo Ronconi @ 3min 55sec
4. Édouard Fachleitner @ 6min 46sec
5. Jean Robic @ 8min 8sec
6. Fermo Camellini @ 15min 16sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 35min 38sec
8. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 1hr 3min 42sec
9. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 1hr 3min 59sec
10. Giordano Cottur @ 1hr 13min 41sec

Stage 19: Friday, July 18, Vannes - Saint Brieuc 139 km Individual Time Trial

Longest individual time trial in Tour history.

1. Raymond Impanis: 3hr 49min 36sec
2. Jean Robic @ 4min 54sec
3. Aldo Ronconi @ 6min 32sec
4. Giordano Cottur @ 7min 11sec
5. Pierre Brambilla @ 8min
6. Fermo Camellini @ 8min 19sec
7. Primo Volpi @ 8min 40sec
8. Édouard Fachleitner @ 9min 44sec
9. Lucien Teisseire @ 10min 26sec
10. Kléber Piot @ 10min 57sec
11. Raoul Rémy @ 11min 38sec
12. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 11min 48sec
13. Bernard Gauthier @ 12min 8sec
14. Briek Schotte @ 12min 24sec
15. René Vietto @ 14min 40sec

GC after Stage 19:

1. Pierre Brambilla: 134hr 5min 39sec
2. Aldo Ronconi @ 53sec
3. Jean Robic @ 2min 58sec
4. René Vietto @ 5min 6sec
5. Édouard Fachleitner @ 6min 56sec
6. Fermo Camellini @ 14min 1sec
7. Raymond Impanis @ 25min 4sec
8. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 1hr 5min 56sec
9. Giordano Cottur @ 1hr 11min 18sec
10. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 1hr 23min 59sec

Stage 20: Saturday, July 19, Saint Brieuc - Caen, 257 km

1. Maurice Diot: 6hr 23min 37sec
2. Maurice Mollin s.t.
3. Édouard Muller s.t.
4. Raymond Impanis s.t.
5. Giordano Cottur s.t.
6. Édouard Klabinski s.t.
7. Alexandre Pawlisiak s.t.
8. Victor Joly s.t.
9. Jean-Apo Lazaridès s.t.
10. Bernard Gauthier @ 4min 50sec

GC after Stage 20:

1. Pierre Brambilla: 140hr 44min 38sec
2. Aldo Ronconi @ 53sec
3. Jean Robic @ 2min 58sec
4. René Vietto @ 5min 16sec
5. Édouard Fachleitner @ 6min 56sec
6. Raymond Impanis @ 9min 42sec
7. Fermo Camellini @ 14min 1sec
8. Giodano Cottur @ 55min 56sec
9. Jean-Marie Goasmat @ 1hr 5min 56sec
10. Jean-Apo Lazaridès @ 1hr 8min 37sec

Stage 21 (final stage): Sunday, July 20, Caen - Paris, 257 km

1. Briek Schotte: 7hr 16min 13sec
2. Bernard Gauthier @ 1min 17sec
3. Jean Diederich @ 3min 41sec
4. René Oreel @ 5min 37sec
5. Jean Kirchen s.t.
6. Lucien Teisseire @ 7min 36sec
7. Édouard Muller s.t.
8. Jean Robic s.t.
9. Édouard Fachleitner s.t.
10. Maurice Diot @ 19min

34. Pierre Brambilla @ 20min 41sec

Complete Final 1947 Tour de France General Classification

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The Story of the Tour de France during the war and the 1947 Tour.

This excerpt is from "The Story of the Tour de France", Volume 1 If you enjoy it we hope you will consider purchasing the book, either print, eBook or audiobook. The Amazon link here will make the purchase easy.

The story of the Tour and its sponsoring organization during and just after the war is affected by the fierce politics and partisanship generated by the conflict and the occupation.

In August of 1939, shortly after that year's Tour ended, L'Auto announced the basic framework of the 1940 Tour. But with the September 1939 German invasion of Poland and the May 1940 invasion of Holland, Belgium and France, there could be no Tour. By the end of June, northern France was conquered, occupied and ruled by Germany. As part of the surrender agreement southern France remained unoccupied and was ruled by a collaborationist French government called "Vichy". The great French World War One hero, Philippe Pétain, headed the Vichy government. The divided system for ruling France remained in place until 1942. When the Allies invaded North Africa, Hitler decided that he needed to occupy southern France to protect his flank. He voided the 1940 agreement and sent his soldiers into the south. They remained in place until France was freed when the Allies advanced in 1944 and 1945.

Racing continued in a hit and miss way all over Europe throughout much of the war. The Giro d'Italia was run in 1940, but was then discontinued until 1946. The Tour of Switzerland was suspended for 1943, 1944 and 1945. The Tour of Spain missed 1943 and 1944. Paris–Roubaix skipped 1941, 1942 and 1943. Italy's Tour of Lombardy was held without interruption except for 1943 and 1944.

The Germans wanted "normalcy" in their occupied territories. France without the Tour wasn't normal. They asked Jacques Goddet to restart the Tour de France, offering to open the border between German-occupied France and Vichy France. With Tour founder Henri Desgrange's health failing, Goddet had taken over both the post of editor of L'Auto—which owned and ran the Tour de France—and the job of running the Tour. Henri Desgrange, the father of the Tour de France, had held both of those jobs.

Throughout the German occupation Jacques Goddet refused to run the Tour de France. There were several truncated stage races and a race omnium series held during that period, the Circuit de France and the Grand Prix du Tour de France being the most notable. Goddet ran the latter race but he made it clear that it wasn't the Tour de France. Goddet walked a tightrope. He thought Pétain was doing the best possible thing for France by cooperating with the Germans, saving France needless destruction from a protracted battle with the Germans that she could not win. So he wrote editorials praising Pétain, and put on races, but denied the Germans the greatest of all cycling competitions.

When Paris was liberated in 1944, the authorities shuttered L'Auto because it had continued publishing during the occupation.

Jacques Goddet was not going to be stopped that easily. He went across the street and founded L'Equipe in 1946. With this new tool he was able to work on re-launching the Tour de France. Since L'Auto no longer existed, the ownership of the Tour de France was up in the air. The French cycling federation decided to have a race shoot-out between the organizations applying to take over the Tour. The other newspaper competing for the right to run the Tour, Sports, combined with another Parisian paper, Miroir Sprint, to put on the 5-day Ronde de France to try to win federation approval.

Goddet's test race was the Monaco–Paris or La Course du Tour de France and it had 5 stages. Goddet got help from another publication, Le Parisien Libéré as well as the Parc des Princes velodrome. The success of his test race, and the politics of Goddet's association with newspaper owner and resistance fighter Emilien Amaury tipped the balance in Goddet's favor. He won the right to put on the Tour de France.

Things were very tight in those early post-war years. During a time of rationing, a calorie-gobbling, gasoline-burning bicycle race presented problems. Race fans sent food to their favorite racers, something far more valuable than mere money. The government had given its approval to the races in those hard times hoping to improve French morale.

Among the other terrible losses of World War Two, the entire cache of the official Tour de France records and photos was lost. They were shipped out of the L'Auto offices in 1939 for safekeeping in southern France. They disappeared in transit and no one knows what happened to them.

1947. Buoyed by their 1946 test-race success, L'Equipe announced the 1947 Tour. It was to be full-blown affair with 21 stages covering 4,640 kilometers with 5 rest days. There would be no days with split stages. National teams were still used but Germany was not invited and wouldn't be for another decade. The Italian team was made up of Franco-Italians living in France. The war wounds were still too raw to bring in a real Italian national team or consider inviting a German team.

5 of the 10 teams entered were French regional squads. Of foreign nationalities, only Belgium, France and the ersatz Italian team were composed of riders of just those countries. Holland's team had 2 Italians living in France, including Fermo Camellini. Switzerland had to combine with Luxembourg to make up its team.

René Vietto, the favorite for 1947, led the French team. The last year the Tour had been run, 1939, Vietto had come in second. He was no longer the hot yet inexperienced young rider who famously gave up his wheel to Antonin Magne in 1934. He was now an accomplished veteran of 33 who had been the subject of 3 knee operations. The war had taken his best years as it did to so many other men and women. For all the years and wear and tear he was still a superb athlete. He had worn the Yellow Jersey in previous Tours, but never as far as to Paris. He deeply yearned to achieve that elusive goal.

The France-West regional team had a strange, talented, difficult and some say foul-mouthed man, Jean Robic. Utterly sure of his abilities, he was furious at being left off the French national team. Robic usually raced with a thick leather helmet because he had fractured his skull in Paris–Roubaix. Being very short with big ears, and possessing a difficult temperament, the helmet added to an appearance that invited nicknames. "Old Leatherhead" was used often, as was "Biquet" which means, contrary to Robic's acerbic personality, "Sonny" or "Sweetie".

The first postwar Tour stage started at Paris' Palais Royale. Future Tour winner Ferdy Kubler won almost 7 hours later in Lille.

Vietto captured the Yellow Jersey after a long breakaway on the second stage, 182 kilometers from Lille to Brussels. He had a 3 minute, 28 second lead in the overall standings on second place Raymond Impanis.

Robic made his way to the higher rankings in the General Classification with a solo win in stage 4. Vietto's lead was now about a minute and a half over Italian Aldo Ronconi. Robic was sitting in sixth place at 15 minutes.

Ferdy Kübler wins stage 5 in Besançon in front of Vincenzo Rossello and Robert Bonnaventure. None of them finished the 1947 Tour.

Going into stage 7, the first Alpine stage, the rankings were unchanged. This stage had 4 big climbs culminating in the 1,326 meter high Col de Porte. Robic was first over the final 2 climbs and won the stage with a 4½ minute lead over Italian rider Pierre Brambilla. Vietto came in 8 minutes, 24 seconds after Robic and almost 3 minutes after Aldo Ronconi who had been sitting in second place in the General Classification. Vietto lost his lead and Robic had cut his deficit in half.

The General Classification after stage 7:

1. Aldo Ronconi

2. René Vietto @ 1 minute 29 seconds

3. Pierre Brambilla @ 4 minutes 12 seconds

4. Jean Robic @ 7 minutes 14 seconds

Stage 8 was another day in the high Alps with the Glandon, Croix de Fer, Télégraphe and Galibier. The Glandon and Croix de Fer climbs, both now mainstays in the Tour's catalog of mountains, were new this year to the Tour. Fermo Camellini blazed away for a solo win, being first over the last 3 major mountains. Brambilla came in 8 minutes later for second place. Vietto and Ronconi followed after another 2½ minutes. Robic had a bad day, finishing over 16 minutes after Camellini.

Stage 9 had the Izoard, Allos and Vars mountains. Robic was first over the Izoard. Vietto matched him by cresting the Allos first and then Robic led over the Col de Vars. On the descent Robic flatted and was badly delayed. Vietto won the stage and regained the Yellow Jersey. Robic came in over 6 minutes later, and was now in fifth place in the General Classification, over 18 minutes behind Vietto.

Jean Robic (wearing leather hairnet) in action in the mountains.

The next day Vietto faltered in the final Alpine stage. Fermo Camellini won it with Vietto over 6 minutes behind. Robic was seventeenth, over 13 minutes off the pace.

So, the General Classification after the Alps:

1. René Vietto

2. Fermo Camellini @ 2 minutes 11 seconds

3. Pierre Brambilla @ 3 minutes 4 seconds

4. Aldo Ronconi @ 3 minutes 25 seconds

5. Jean Robic @ 25 minutes 5 seconds

The situation stayed unchanged as the Tour went across southern France. Even after the first Pyreneen stage, nothing was altered in the top ranks of the General Classification, except Edouard Fachleitner’s solo win in stage 11 which moved him into fifth place.

Stage 15 from Luchon to Pau was a classic day in the Pyrenees. The riders had to face the Peyresourde, the Aspin, the Tourmalet and the Aubisque. Almost from the gun Robic attacked. On the Peyresourde Robic was away, at first with Vietto, Brambilla, Apo Lazaridès and Primo Volpi. Robic kept the pressure on his companions and before long Robic was riding away alone. He continued his escape and ended up riding almost 190 of the day's 195 kilometers on his own. He beat Vietto, Brambilla and Ronconi by 10 minutes, 43 seconds. Because of the time bonuses given for being the first over the 4 big passes, Robic gained a total of 15 minutes, 13 seconds.

The new General Classification:

1. René Vietto

2. Pierre Brambilla @ 1 minute 34 seconds

3. Aldo Ronconi @ 3 minutes 55 seconds

4. Edouard Fachleitner @ 6 minutes 46 seconds

5. Jean Robic @ 8 minutes 8 seconds

After the Pyrenees the situation remained stable for a while. Vietto held his lead until stage 18, nursing his 94-second lead in the General Classification. In stage 19 he ran into the longest individual time trial in Tour history. The 139-kilometer brute cost Vietto 15 minutes. He was never to wear Yellow in Paris. Italian Pierre Brambilla, after doing well in the time trial, was now in Yellow. The little Breton Robic, coming in second in the time trial, had moved up to third. Brambilla probably felt that with 2 stages to go, the Tour was his.

Here was the General Classification after the time trial:

1. Pierre Brambilla

2. Aldo Ronconi @ 53 seconds

3. Jean Robic @ 2 minutes 58 seconds

4. René Vietto @ 5 minutes 6 seconds

5. Edouard Fachleitner @ 6 minutes 56 seconds

In the final stage, a mostly (and that word mostly is important) flat run from Caen to Paris, the peloton was subjected to a series of tough, hard attacks. On the Bonsecours hill, as the race was leaving the city of Rouen, Jean Robic managed to get away from Brambilla. Brambilla didn't or couldn't react at first, being boxed in by other riders. He did manage to get just near Robic when Fachleitner counter-attacked. Robic dug deeply into his reserves and made contact with Fachleitner. Brambilla chased, but could not close the gap to the pair. He knew he was watching his Tour de France ride away.

Fachleitner wanted to drop Robic and get up to riders further up the road, thereby gaining enough time to surpass Robic and possibly win the Tour. Robic is famously to have said to him, "You can't win the Tour, Fach, because I'm not going to let you go. Work with me and I'll pay you 100,000 francs." The deal was made. Robic and Fachleitner powered away from Brambilla. Robic rode into the Yellow Jersey. Belgian Brik Schotte won the stage but Robic beat Brambilla, Ronconi, Vietto and Camellini by over 13 minutes. Robic became the first man to gain the final General Classification victory on the final day. The only time he had possession of the Yellow Jersey in the 1947 Tour was when he donned it on the final podium. It wasn't done again until Jan Janssen won the Tour in the final time trial in 1968.

Robic was a difficult man. He was not well liked by his fellow racers or the Tour organizers. He felt that being left off the French national team for the 1947 Tour and having to race on a regional French team was a slur on his abilities. He was married shortly before the Tour started and had promised his new bride a victory in the Tour as a dowry. Even under those idyllic circumstances, he started the race with a chip on his shoulder. It might have been his promise to his wife or just his disagreeable nature that caused him to attack the Yellow Jersey in that final run-in to Paris. But Jean Robic never lacked for courage or audacity. He was only 5 feet tall but he had a complete arsenal of abilities. In addition to being a superb road racer he was both French and World cyclo-cross champion. To commemorate his Tour victory there is a monument with his likeness on the Bonsecours hill.

We'll meet Old Leatherhead again.

Final 1947 Tour de France General Classification:

1. Jean Robic (France-West) 148 hours 11 minutes 25 seconds

2. Edouard Fachleitner (France) @ 3 minutes 58 seconds

3. Pierre Brambilla (Italy) @ 10 minutes 7 seconds

4. Aldo Ronconi (Italy) @ 11 minutes

5. René Vietto (France) @ 15 minutes 23 seconds

Climber's Competition:

1. Pierre Brambilla: 98 points

2. Apo Lazaridès: 89 points

3. Jean Robic: 70 points

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