Races and great moments · Tour de France · 1947
Robic took yellow on the final day
Jean Robic had not worn the yellow jersey for a single day. When the final stage began, he was third. On the road to Paris, he overturned the entire classification.
Jean Robic had not worn the yellow jersey for a single day. When the final stage began, he was third. On the road to Paris, he overturned the entire classification.
The Tour returns
The Tour de France was held again in 1947 after a seven-year absence. Pierre Brambilla led before the final stage from Caen to Paris. René Vietto was second and Jean Robic began the day in third. Normally, the road to Paris was not where the overall race was overturned.
The attack after Rouen
Robic attacked after Rouen and Édouard Fachleitner joined him. Brambilla could not close the gap. By the time the group reached the Parc des Princes, Robic had gained more than the time he needed and moved into first place in the final classification.
Yellow on the podium, not on the road
He thus won the Tour without previously wearing the yellow jersey during the race. It is a peculiar detail, but it should not obscure the achievement: the overall lead was attacked and lost on the final day.
An agreement on the road
Later accounts describe agreements between Robic and Fachleitner involving assistance and prize money. The exact words and sums vary. Their cooperation in the attack belongs to the course of the race; every detail of the verbal bargain cannot be treated as a contemporary transcript.
The lead bottle came later
Robic is also linked to a story about carrying a heavy bottle filled with lead on mountain descents. That episode is normally associated with the 1953 Tour and does not explain his 1947 victory. He won this day by attacking while the race was still open.
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