Pic of the Day 4th October, 2005
Astrua and Bobet Share a Beer
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Louison Bobet (right) offers a beer to Giancarlo Astrua (Atala jersey) on a hot day climbing in the Alps. That's Gino Bartali in the background, far left. Note the water bottle covers (felt or leather?) on the Italian bikes, Campagnolo qr levers all-round, and full gum hood covers on Astrua's Universal brake levers and Bobet's (Weinmann) levers.
Italian rider Giancarlo Astrua is largely forgotten today, but in 1953 he
won the Giro della Romagna, and was a challenger for victory in the Tour de
France. Riding for the Italian national team, he spent five days in second
place sandwiched between two Frenchmen - yellow jersey Jean Malléjac (Ouest)
and Louison Bobet (French national team). Bobet then won stage 18 by ten
minutes and leap-frogged Malléjac and Astrua into the lead, while Astrua
held on to third place for the final five stages.
>From "Miroir Sprint" Tour de France special, 23 July 1953.
Aldo Ross
BlueBall, Ohio