Andre Darrigade

André Darrigade , born the April 24th 1929 with Narrosse close to Dax in the Landes was at its time the largest French truck driver-sprinter.

Its course

Darrigade gained its first gallons with the Cycle-racing track of Winter in Paris while beating, the 6 Day day before, the future world champion of sprint, Antonio Maspes. It took part in 14 turns of France, with 22 gained stages, while carrying very often the yellow jersey, and by gaining 2 times the green shirt in Paris…

Darrigade was champion of France on road in 1955, victorious of the Tour of Lombardy in 1956, victorious of the Six days of Paris in 1957 and 1958, and World champion on road with Zandwoort in 1959. In Tour de France 56 stage Luchon-Toulouse, an unhappy puncture followed by a disagreement with the chief technical officer of the team of France (Marcel Bidot) deprived it of a victory in the Tour de France…

A drama will mark it all its life: with the Park of the Princes in 1958, at the time of the final sprint, it strikes the gardener of the Park, which was to die a few days later.

Its teams

It was professional runner of 1951 to 1966 in the following teams:

the Pearl 1952-1955
Helyett 1956-1960
Alcyon 1961
Leroux-Gipsy 1962
Margnenat 1963-1965
Kamome 1966

Prize list

Its prize list with 124 victories is impressive:

professional World champion on road: 1959 (2nd: 1960; 3rd: 1957,1958)
Championships of France of cycling on road: 1955
Turn of Lombardy: 1956
Genoa-Nice: 1964
National Critérium: 1959
Baracchi Trophy: 1956 (with Rolf Graf)
Paris-Valencians: 1958
Grand Prix of the Champions: 1955
Six-Jours of Paris: 1957,1958 (with Jacques Anquetil and Terruzzi)
Final of the medal of the sprint: 1949
Circuit of Mans: 1952
Circuit of the Double-deckers: 1952
Critérium de Nilvange: 1952
Circuit of Chalosse: 1953
Small rock-Angouleme: 1953
Grand Prix of Issoire: 1952
Grand Prix of the silk trade: 1953
Critérium of Bordeaux: 1953
Price of the Marseillaise: 1953
Grand Prix of the Tire: 1954
Grand Prix of the Echo of Algiers: 1955
Grand Prix of social Works: 1956
Mills-Engilbert: 1956
Bordeaux-Holy: 1951
Wheel of Gold: 1956,1958,1959 (with Anquetil and Graczyk)
Martini Price: 1957
Critérium de Scaër: 1957
Grand Prix Europe-Ravenne (with Anquetil and Forest Jean, against-the-watch)
Price of Vergt: 1957
Critérium of Saint-Denis-in-the Hôtel: 1957
Grand Prix of Orchies: 1957
Critérium of Algiers: 1958
Price of Montceau-the-Mines: 1958
Price of Guéret: 1958
Critérium of Paris-Normandy: 1958
Critérium de Vayrac: 1959 (with Anquetil and Graczyk)
Trophy of the Island of Man: 1960
Parisian Grand Prix: 1961
22 victories of stages in the Tour de France.

Medal of money on road, with the Mediterranean Plays of 1955

Anecdote

It cumulates 22 victories of stages during the turns of the years 1953,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963 and 1964. What means that it is that which gained stages over the greatest number of different revolutions.

It is the ninth cyclist of the Tour de France to gain a stage at least 10 years after a first succès.
Before him Jean Alavoine, Henri Pelissier, Philippe Thys, Louis Mottiat, Andre Leducq, Antonin Magne, Rene Vietto and Gino Bartali had already made a success of this performance.
The only cyclists who made a success of this performance since are: Jean Stablinski, Raymond Poulidor, Felice Gimondi, Gerben Karstens, Ferdinand Bracke, Joaquim Agostinho, Lucien Van Impe, Lance Armstrong, Richard Virenque and Cédric Vasseur.

Random links: