Tour de France route rumours: 2015 stage finish to commemorate Eddy Merckx’s defeat
Rumour has it that the ski village of Pra-Loup will host the finale of stage 20 of the 2015 Tour de France - Eddy Merckx effectively lost the 1975 Tour on the climb
The radio station who reported the possibility of a stage finish on top of the giant Cime de la Bonette climb, Dici.fr, have now come up with a more logical, and logistically acceptable, suggestion for where the finish of stage 20 of the 2015 Tour de France will be. It’s the ski village of Pra-Loup at the end of the climb that took the biggest scalp in cycling.
There will be a stage finish in the Ubaye Valley next year, there’s no doubt about that. Every hotel room is booked up there for the night of July 20, and most are the same for the 21st. So that suggests a stage finish in the Ubaye Valley, a rest day in Gap at the eastern end of the valley on July 21, and a stage start there on the 22. That stage could end on Alpe d’Huez, which has been rumoured to be in the 2015 Tour for quite some time.
But why is Pra-Loup being suggested as the stage finish? Because 2015 sees the 40th anniversary of the end of Eddy Merckx’s reign in the Tour de France. The Tour was where Merckx earned his nickname, the Cannibal, and he dominated every time he took part from 1969 to 1974, winning every Tour he started. Whatever the Tour de France threw at him, Merckx beat it, most often with a knock-out blow.
Back in 1975 he looked to be on his way to doing the same, when he was punched by a spectator on the climb of the Puy-de-Dome on stage 14. Merckx lost 34 seconds in the short time it took him to reach the summit after the incident, but he still had the yellow jersey by 58 seconds.
The next stage went from Nice to Pra-Loup. Merckx’s lead was still healthy. He could have ridden cautiously to help his body recover from the bad bruising he’d suffered. Except Eddy Merckx didn’t know what cautious was. He looked in command as the lead group climbed the Col des Champs, then he attacked near the top with 63 kilometres to go.
Merckx descended alone, then flew up and over the Col d’Allos, extending his lead all the way. Then he began the climb to the ski station at Pra-Loup. He was pedalling strongly and had a healthy lead. Pra-Loup isn’t a steep climb, or a very long or very dramatic one; the drama was all with Merckx because he suddenly went into slow motion. For the first time ever in a bike race Eddy Merckx had over-estimated his strength and completely blown up. He was human, after all.
Behind him, Bernard Thevenet launched an attack that splintered the chasing group. He caught Merckx and rode straight past him, not even looking at him. Next up was Felice Gimondi, Merckx’s oldest rival. How Gimondi would have loved to have beaten Merckx in a straight fight, but now he looked across at a man who over the years had also become his friend, who he admired, and who was now in trouble. Gimondi rode alongside Merckx for a while, seeming to try to rally him, but it didn’t work and the Italian had to press on.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Merckx lost nearly two minutes in five kilometres, falling to second overall behind Thevenet at 58 seconds. And next day Thevenet took him to the cleaners, winning in Serre-Chevallier, after crossing the Col d’Izoard splendidly alone in the yellow jersey, to put Merckx 3 minutes and 20 seconds behind him. Merckx carried on valiantly to Paris, despite fracturing a cheekbone in a crash, to finish second. And he attacked Thevenet all the way. But he’d lost his first Tour de France, when he had expected to win his sixth.
Stage 20 will start in Digne, the authorities have confirmed that. Then the route makers have the choice of taking the riders over the Cime de la Bonette, or the Col de Cayolle before finishing in Pra Loup. Or they may replicate the 1975 stage by using the Col des Champs and Col d’Allos before the finish.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Chris has written thousands of articles for magazines, newspapers and websites throughout the world. He’s written 25 books about all aspects of cycling in multiple editions and translations into at least 25
different languages. He’s currently building his own publishing business with Cycling Legends Books, Cycling Legends Events, cyclinglegends.co.uk, and the Cycling Legends Podcast
-
Forget distance covered, these are the key stats to note in your Strava Year in Sport
We asked a coach how to best analyse our end of year Strava data
By Tom Davidson Published
-
'She should show a bit more respect' - Lotte Kopecky responds to Demi Vollering comments
The pair seemingly had one last fractious year together at SD Worx-Protime in 2024
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Eddy Merckx hospitalised after bike crash
79-year-old cycling legend required to undergo surgery on broken hip
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Coppi, Pantani, Van Vleuten, Pogačar: A look at the Giro-Tour double winners club
Tadej Pogačar has now officially joined the club, becoming the eighth man to achieve one of professional cycling’s most sought after accolades
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'Such a nice guy to break my record' - Eddy Merckx congratulates Mark Cavendish on his historical achievement
Greatness recognizes greatness, and there is absolutely no respect lost between cycling legends Eddy Merckx and Mark Cavendish.
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
Eddy Merckx 'wouldn't have had a problem' with Cavendish beating his Tour de France stage victory record
The 'Manx Missile' equalled the great Belgian's record at the Grand Boucle as he won four stages
By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published
-
'He turned pro too early': Eddy Merckx just can't stop commenting on Evenepoel
The cycling legend has happily voiced his opinion on the young Belgian multiple times during the rider's short career
By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published
-
'My respect and appreciation for him is enormous, apparently is not mutual': Remco Evenepoel responds to Eddy Merckx's comments
Merckx recently spoke out against the young Belgians selection for the World Championships road race
By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published
-
How they used to train: Eddy Merckx’s pre-1969 Tour de France week
How the Cannibal trained to get ready for his first Tour de France win in the 1969 edition of the race
By Chris Sidwells Published
-
'Doctors don't know what happened' as Eddy Merckx continues recovery from fall
The Belgian is still not yet one hundred per cent better after his accident in October
By Jonny Long Published