Third day in the Pyrenees during Tour de France 2025 with a classic program including Tourmalet (as mid-stage climb, as usual), Aspin and Pyresourde with a hilltop finish on Superbagnéres at the end.
VINTAGE TOUR DE FRANCE IMAGE OF THE DAY
Third day in the Pyrenees during Tour de France 2025 with a classic program including Tourmalet (as mid-stage climb, as usual), Aspin and Pyresourde with a hilltop finish on Superbagnéres at the end.
Octave Lapize, whose monument stand on the top of Col du Tourmalet was a pioneering French cyclist best known for winning the 1910 Tour de France, the first edition of the race to include high mountain climbs. Born in Paris in 1887, Lapize became one of the defining figures of early cycling, admired for his climbing strength, determination, and fierce spirit.
Before his Tour victory, Lapize had already earned recognition by winning prestigious one-day races such as Paris–Brussels and Paris–Roubaix. But it was the 1910 Tour that cemented his place in cycling history. That year, the race introduced the Pyrenees to its route, including punishing ascents like the Col du Tourmalet and the Col d’Aubisque. These unpaved, steep mountain roads were considered nearly impossible at the time.
Lapize dominated the mountains but not without suffering. During a particularly grueling stage, after climbing the Tourmalet, he famously yelled at the race organizers, "Vous êtes des criminels!" ("You are criminals!"). Despite the brutal conditions, he pressed on, winning six stages and ultimately the overall Tour title. His victory made him the first true “king of the mountains” and marked a turning point in the evolution of the Tour de France—from a flat endurance race into one defined by high-altitude drama.
Although Lapize never won the Tour again, he remained one of France’s top riders. He won the French national road race championship three times and continued competing at the highest level until World War I interrupted his career.
Tragically, Lapize’s life was cut short during the war. Serving as a fighter pilot in the French air force, he was wounded in action in 1917 and died shortly after, at just 29 years old.