Pic of the Day 11th October, 2005
Alavoine Crashes-out of the 1923 Tour de France
Henri Pélissier (Automoto) won the 1923 Tour de France, with teammate Ottavio Bottecchia finishing second, but it may have ended quite differently if Jean Alavoine (Peugeot) hadn't crashed during the 10th stage, from Nice to Briançon. Winner of the mountainous stages 6, 7 and 9, Alavoine was in second place on G.C. at the beginning of stage 10, 12'19" behind leader Bottecchia with Pélissier a further 17'33" back, but Alavoine's brakes failed on the descent of the col d'Izoard and he crashed heavily. Alavoine managed to finish the stage, 26'58" behind Pélissier, and ahead of Bottecchia at 41'08", leaving Alavoine still in second on G.C. behind Pélissier, but his injuries were such that he was unable to start the following stage.
This is a set of three pictures:
http://www.wooljersey.com/
http://www.wooljersey.com/
http://www.wooljersey.com/
>From "Le Miroir des Sports" No.159, 19 July, 1923.
Aldo Ross
BlueBall, Ohio