Archival Tour de France

I dream of a sports channel that broadcasts sporting events from the past.  While I'm aloof to the running of the 100th edition of the Tour de France, I'd love to watch 50 year old coverage of the race. While I cannot provide you with live footage of the 1963 tour, here is some print ephemera and vintage figurines (via the Spoke Sniffer archives) for restaging your own race. If you prefer moving images, I recommend you watch the greatest cycling film ever made: Louis Mallee's short documentary, Vive Le Tour (1962). 

 

 

 

 

Shopping from 1938 - Unis Sport Catalog

PDX messenger and Jack Taylor enthusiast, Joel Metz, forwarded along this amazing french catalog for Unis-Sport, an early sponsor of the Tour de France.  I'm reposting product highlights in case you're in the market for a tailored ensemble for bike camping or cyclo-tourism.   My own mail order form -  post marked 1938 - will include a request for a wool pullover with the Tour de France logo and a pair of the Raynaud model leather cycling shoes.  Shop for yourself...

 

  

  

  

   

  

  

 

 

Archival Tour de France

Once again I'm mining riders from the Nationaal Archief's flickr photostream to stage my own Tour de France. Despite the passing of decades, the rider's wool jerseys and steel bicycles make them look like a unified team. For 2012, I present my Archival tour:

Jaap Kersten in Gramont (1961)

Alphonse Schepers (1933)

Jules Buysse (1926)

Seamus Elliott, Jean Stablinkski en Jacques Anquetil (1963)

Merchandising (1958)

Climbing the Aubisque on foot (1928)

Stage 2 - Rennes - Le Mans (1960)

Taking care of the bicycles on a rest day (1930)

Kisses from a local beauty (1928)

Racing cyclists passing the Atomium (1960)

Ezquerra in the mountains (1934)

Cyclists passing a herd of sheep (1938)

From the archives...

Archival Miniatures (2011)

Vive Le Tour (2010)

Archival Cyclists: Tour Edition (2010)

Archival Miniatures

If you’re jaded by the modern Tour de France, stage your own race using these vintage TDF miniatures (via spokesniffer). No carbon fiber. No doping scandals. No helmets!