Pic of the Day 2 December 2007 1955 Worlds
Not the best quality, but I'll leave this image large to show the details.
Scene from the 1955 World Professional Road Championships in Rome-Frascati, Italy. Leading is Jacques Anquetil(France) - partially obscuring Fausto Coppi (Italy), Stan Ockers (Belgium, in Elvé shorts), Andrès Trobat Garcia (Spain - beside Ockers), and Bruno Monti (Italy - beneath "Roma" sign).
Three major derailleur manufacturers are represented here - Huret, Campagnolo (Coppi's Gran Sport), and Simplex (Ockers' Juy 543). Note the quick release levers installed drive-side on Coppi's and Ockers' rear wheels (even at this late date), Anquetil's centerpull brakes, and Ockers' fully-taped brake levers. Note also the way "La Perle" is written on Anquetil's toptube.
Ockers' would go on to win the rainbow jersey, but sadly died 1 October
1956, 2 days after striking a spectator during at race at Antwerp's
Sportpaleis velodrome.
>From "But et Club - Le Miroir des Sports" No.532, 29 August 1955.
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Aldo Ross
Middletown, Ohio, USA