# 1937 Tour de France

The 1937 Tour de France was the 31st edition of the Tour de France, taking place from 30 June to 25 July. It consisted of 20 stages with a total length of 4,415 km (2,743 mi).
Charles Holland and Bill Burl became the first British cyclists to ride the Tour. Burl lasted only two stages, but Holland rode well until he was eliminated on stage 14c after mechanical problems. The British Empire was also represented by the only non-European in the Tour: Canadian Pierre Gachon, who never completed the first stage. The complete Belgian team (including 1936 and 1939 winner Sylvère Maes) withdraw from the race because of "French chauvinism". Complaints from the Belgian team included of French spectators throwing stones at the Belgian team, closing train crossings, and throwing pepper in the eyes, and being punished unreasonable strictly (adding extra time in the standing) while French riders were hardly punished at all while being helped.
The race was won by French cyclist Roger Lapébie.

## Innovations and changes

The Tours from 1903 to 1936 had all been organised by Henri Desgrange, but during the 1936 Tour de France he had to stop for health reasons, and Jacques Goddet took over. The Tour in 1937 was the first Tour where Goddet was in charge, and one of the first rules that he changed was to allow gear changes. Each team had its own car with extra material to help with mechanical problems.

## Teams

The Italian team, that had been absent from the 1936 Tour de France, returned in 1937, after Benito Mussolini removed their boycott of the Tour, and selected new star Gino Bartali, who had won the 1936 and 1937 Giro d'Italia, as the Italian team leader. The Italian team had 10 cyclists, just as the Belgian, German and French teams. There were also small teams of six cyclists: the Spanish, Dutch, Luxembourgian and Swiss teams. The last national team was the Great Britain-Canada team, consisting of two British cyclists and one Canadian.
The French team included Roger Lapébie. Lapébie had had a difficult relation with Desgrange. This had caused Lapébie to be out of the national team in 1935, and completely absent from the Tour in 1936. In 1937, Desgrange had retired, and Lapébie was back. In the month before the Tour started, Lapébie had undergone surgery for a lumbar hernia, and there were doubts about his form.
There were also 31 cyclists riding as individuals. These individuals were responsible for their own food and accommodation.
The teams entering the race were:
* Belgium
* Italy
* Germany
* France
* Spain
* Netherlands
* Luxembourg
* Switzerland
* Great Britain/Canada

## Route and stages

Stage 19b was an individual time trial, stages 5b, 11b and 18a were team time trials, although the victory was still given the cyclist who crossed the line first. At the start of the Tour, it was also the intention to run stages 12b, 13b, 14b and 17b as time trials, but during the Tour the organisation changed the format. The highest point of elevation in the race was 2,556 m (8,386 ft) at the summit tunnel of the Col du Galibier mountain pass on stage 7.
Stage characteristics and winners :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Type | Winner |
| 1 | 30 June | Paris to Lille | 263 km (163 mi) | | Plain stage | Jean Majerus (LUX) |
| 2 | 1 July | Lille to Charleville | 192 km (119 mi) | | Plain stage | Maurice Archambaud (FRA) |
| 3 | 2 July | Charleville to Metz | 161 km (100 mi) | | Plain stage | Walter Generati (ITA) |
| 4 | 3 July | Metz to Belfort | 220 km (140 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Erich Bautz (GER) |
| 5a | 4 July | Belfort to Lons-le-Saunier | 175 km (109 mi) | | Plain stage | Henri Puppo (FRA) |
| 5b | 4 July | Lons-le-Saunier to Champagnole | 34 km (21 mi) | | Team time trial | Sylvère Maes (BEL) |
| 5c | 4 July | Champagnole to Geneva | 93 km (58 mi) | | Plain stage | Leo Amberg (SUI) |
| | 5 July | Geneva | Geneva | | Rest day | Rest day |
| 6 | 6 July | Geneva to Aix-les-Bains | 180 km (110 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Gustaaf Deloor (BEL) |
| 7 | 7 July | Aix-les-Bains to Grenoble | 228 km (142 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Gino Bartali (ITA) |
| 8 | 8 July | Grenoble to Briançon | 194 km (121 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Otto Weckerling (GER) |
| 9 | 9 July | Briançon to Digne | 220 km (140 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Roger Lapébie (FRA) |
| | 10 July | Digne | Digne | | Rest day | Rest day |
| 10 | 11 July | Digne to Nice | 251 km (156 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Félicien Vervaecke (BEL) |
| | 12 July | Nice | Nice | | Rest day | Rest day |
| 11a | 13 July | Nice to Toulon | 169 km (105 mi) | | Plain stage | Éloi Meulenberg (BEL) |
| 11b | 13 July | Toulon to Marseille | 65 km (40 mi) | | Team time trial | Gustaaf Danneels (BEL) |
| 12a | 14 July | Marseille to Nîmes | 112 km (70 mi) | | Plain stage | Alphonse Antoine (FRA) |
| 12b | 14 July | Nîmes to Montpellier | 51 km (32 mi) | | Plain stage | René Pedroli (SUI) |
| 13a | 15 July | Montpellier to Narbonne | 103 km (64 mi) | | Plain stage | Francesco Camusso (ITA) |
| 13b | 15 July | Narbonne to Perpignan | 63 km (39 mi) | | Plain stage | Éloi Meulenberg (BEL) |
| | 16 July | Perpignan | Perpignan | | Rest day | Rest day |
| 14a | 17 July | Perpignan to Bourg-Madame | 99 km (62 mi) | | Plain stage | Éloi Meulenberg (BEL) |
| 14b | 17 July | Bourg-Madame to Ax-les-Thermes | 59 km (37 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Mariano Cañardo (ESP) |
| 14c | 17 July | Ax-les-Thermes to Luchon | 167 km (104 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Éloi Meulenberg (BEL) |
| | 18 July | Luchon | Luchon | | Rest day | Rest day |
| 15 | 19 July | Luchon to Pau | 194 km (121 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Julián Berrendero (ESP) |
| | 22 July | Pau | Pau | | Rest day | Rest day |
| 16 | 21 July | Pau to Bordeaux | 235 km (146 mi) | | Plain stage | Paul Chocque (FRA) |
| 17a | 22 July | Bordeaux to Royan | 123 km (76 mi) | | Plain stage | Erich Bautz (GER) |
| 17b | 22 July | Royan to Saintes | 37 km (23 mi) | | Plain stage | Adolph Braeckeveldt (BEL) Heinz Wengler (GER) |
| 17c | 22 July | Saintes to La Rochelle | 67 km (42 mi) | | Plain stage | Roger Lapébie (FRA) |
| 18a | 23 July | La Rochelle to La Roche-sur-Yon | 82 km (51 mi) | | Team time trial | Roger Lapébie (FRA) |
| 18b | 23 July | La Roche-sur-Yon to Rennes | 172 km (107 mi) | | Plain stage | Paul Chocque (FRA) |
| 19a | 24 July | Rennes to Vire | 114 km (71 mi) | | Plain stage | Raymond Passat (FRA) |
| 19b | 24 July | Vire to Caen | 59 km (37 mi) | | Individual time trial | Leo Amberg (SUI) |
| 20 | 25 July | Caen to Paris | 234 km (145 mi) | | Plain stage | Edward Vissers (BEL) |
| | Total | Total | 4,415 km (2,743 mi) | 4,415 km (2,743 mi) | 4,415 km (2,743 mi) | 4,415 km (2,743 mi) |

## Race overview

German Erich Bautz took the lead after the fourth stage, thanks to the bonification system that could give the winner of a stage some minutes bonification time. In the seventh stage, Bartali took the stage victory, and with that the lead in the general classification. He was nine minutes ahead of Ward Vissers, and that could just be enough for the Tour victory. On the eighth stage, Bartali could not avoid his teammate Jules Rossi who crashed right in front of him, and Bartali fell into a river. He got up and was able to finish the stage. He lost 10 minutes and kept the lead, but in the next stage he lost more than twenty minutes, and in the twelfth stage he gave up.
In the ninth stage, Sylvère Maes took over the lead, closely followed by Mario Vicini and Roger Lapébie. At that point, the French team was already down to six cyclists. These six cyclists had a meeting, and decided that Lapébie would be the team leader, as the rest of the team was already to far behind to have any chance for the final victory.
Before the start of the fifteenth stage, Lapébie found out that the frame of his bicycle had been sabotaged, causing his handlebars to break off. Lapébie made quick repairs and just made it to the start of the stage, but his newly constructed bicycle did not have a water holder, and he had to start the stage without water. This demotivated him, and Lapébie began losing time early in the stage. That stage included four mountains, and on top of the second mountain Lapébie was already five minutes behind, and wanted to give up. A teammate inspired him to go on, and Lapébie started to win back time. When Maes punctured, Lapébie was able to reach him, and at the end of the stage only Julián Berrendero was in front of them, and Lapébie won the sprint for the second place. This rewarded him with 45 seconds bonification time. When the tour directors gave him 90 seconds penalty time for having been pushed, the margin with Maes grew to more than three minutes, but Lapébie had sensed weakness in the Belgian team, and planned to attack in the next stage. The Belgian team complained that the penalty was far too little, because Lapébie's advantage had been much more. The French team threatened to abandon the race if the penalty would be increased, and the Tour direction did not change the penalty.
In the sixteenth stage Lapébie finished ahead of Maes, and cut the margin down to only 25 seconds, but with only flat stage that could be enough for Maes. During that sixteenth stage, Maes had punctured, and had been help by two Belgian cyclists, Gustaaf Deloor and Adolf Braeckeveldt. However, these Belgian cyclists rode as "individuals", and were not part of the Belgian team. The Tour jury then fined Maes with 15 seconds penalty time in the general classification. During the race, a train crossing had been closed just after Lapébie had passed, and just before Maes was about to pass. Maes was offended by all this, and quit the race, together with the rest of the Belgian team. From that point on, it was easy for Lapébie to secure his victory.

## Classification leadership and minor prizes

The time that each cyclist required to finish each stage was recorded, and these times were added together for the general classification. If a cyclist had received a time bonus, it was subtracted from this total; all time penalties were added to this total. The cyclist with the least accumulated time was the race leader, identified by the yellow jersey. Leo Amberg became the first Swiss cyclist to reach the podium of the general classification in the Tour de France.
For the mountains classification, 17 mountains were selected by the Tour organisation. After the last mountain in the fifteenth stage, the classification was won by Félicien Vervaecke. Vervaecke did not finish the Tour, but in 1937 that was not needed to win the mountains classification.
The team classification was calculated in 1937 by adding up the times of the best three cyclists of a team; the team with the least time was the winner. The time for the Spanish team, which finished with only two cyclists, was calculated by adding the time of the final rider in the general classification, plus one hour penalty time. The Belgian, Dutch, and British-Canadian teams did not finish with two or more cyclists, so they were not eligible for the team classification.
Classification leadership by stage :
| Stage | Winner | General classification | Mountains classification | Classification for individuals | Team classification |
| 1 | Jean Majerus | Jean Majerus | no award | Adolphe Braeckeveldt | Luxembourg |
| 2 | Maurice Archambaud | Jean Majerus | no award | Adolphe Braeckeveldt | France |
| 3 | Walter Generati | Marcel Kint | no award | Adolphe Braeckeveldt | Belgium |
| 4 | Erich Bautz | Erich Bautz | Erich Bautz | Adolphe Braeckeveldt | Germany |
| 5a | Henri Puppo | Erich Bautz | Erich Bautz | Adolphe Braeckeveldt | Luxembourg |
| 5b | Sylvère Maes | Erich Bautz | Erich Bautz | Adolphe Braeckeveldt | Luxembourg |
| 5c | Leo Amberg | Erich Bautz | Erich Bautz | Adolphe Braeckeveldt | Luxembourg |
| 6 | Gustaaf Deloor | Erich Bautz | Gino Bartali | Adolphe Braeckeveldt | Belgium |
| 7 | Gino Bartali | Gino Bartali | Gino Bartali | Adolphe Braeckeveldt | France |
| 8 | Otto Weckerling | Gino Bartali | Gino Bartali | Adolphe Braeckeveldt | France |
| 9 | Roger Lapébie | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 10 | Félicien Vervaecke | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 11a | Éloi Meulenberg | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 11b | Gustaaf Danneels | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 12a | Alphonse Antoine | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 12b | René Pedroli | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 13a | Francesco Camusso | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 13b | Éloi Meulenberg | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 14a | Éloi Meulenberg | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 14b | Mariano Cañardo | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 14c | Éloi Meulenberg | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 15 | Julián Berrendero | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 16 | Paul Chocque | Sylvère Maes | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | Belgium |
| 17a | Erich Bautz | Roger Lapébie | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | France |
| 17b | Adolph Braeckeveldt Heinz Wengler | Roger Lapébie | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | France |
| 17c | Roger Lapébie | Roger Lapébie | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | France |
| 18a | Roger Lapébie | Roger Lapébie | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | France |
| 18b | Paul Chocque | Roger Lapébie | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | France |
| 19a | Raymond Passat | Roger Lapébie | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | France |
| 19b | Leo Amberg | Roger Lapébie | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | France |
| 20 | Edward Vissers | Roger Lapébie | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | France |
| Final | Final | Roger Lapébie | Félicien Vervaecke | Mario Vicini | France |

## Final standings
### General classification

Final general classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Roger Lapébie (FRA) | France | 138h 58' 31" |
| 2 | Mario Vicini (ITA) | Individual | + 7' 17" |
| 3 | Leo Amberg (SUI) | Switzerland | + 26' 13" |
| 4 | Francesco Camusso (ITA) | Italy | + 26' 53" |
| 5 | Sylvain Marcaillou (FRA) | France | + 35' 36" |
| 6 | Edouard Vissers (BEL) | Individual | + 38' 13" |
| 7 | Paul Chocque (FRA) | France | + 1h 05' 19" |
| 8 | Pierre Gallien (FRA) | Individual | + 1h 06' 33" |
| 9 | Erich Bautz (GER) | Germany | + 1h 06' 41" |
| 10 | Jean Frechaut (FRA) | Individual | + 1h 24' 34" |
Final general classification (11–46) :
| Rank | Rider | Sponsor | Time |
| 11 | Herbert Muller (BEL) | Individual | + 1h 26' 51" |
| 12 | Raymond Passat (FRA) | Individual | + 1h 27' 58" |
| 13 | Marcel Laurent (FRA) | Individual | + 1h 31' 57" |
| 14 | Oskar Thierbach (GER) | Germany | + 1h 34' 27" |
| 15 | Julián Berrendero (ESP) | Spain | + 1h 34' 48" |
| 16 | Gustaaf Deloor (BEL) | Individual | + 1h 36' 03" |
| 17 | Victor Cosson (FRA) | Individual | + 1h 38' 55" |
| 18 | Jean-Marie Goasmat (FRA) | Individual | + 1h 39' 36" |
| 19 | Sauveur Ducazeaux (FRA) | Individual | + 1h 41' 21" |
| 20 | Robert Oubron (FRA) | Individual | + 1h 46' 09" |
| 21 | Robert Tanneveau (FRA) | France | + 1h 47' 03" |
| 22 | Adolf Braeckeveldt (BEL) | Individual | + 1h 52' 29" |
| 23 | Henri Puppo (FRA) | Individual | + 1h 56' 38" |
| 24 | Giuseppe Martano (ITA) | Italy | + 1h 58' 33" |
| 25 | Fabien Galateau (FRA) | Individual | + 2h 04' 20" |
| 26 | Augusto Introzzi (ITA) | Italy | + 2h 09' 49" |
| 27 | Arsène Mersch (LUX) | Luxembourg | + 2h 15' 43" |
| 28 | Ludwig Geyer (GER) | Germany | + 2h 16' 31" |
| 29 | Paul Egli (SUI) | Switzerland | + 2h 27' 54" |
| 30 | Mariano Cañardo (ESP) | Spain | + 2h 35' 11" |
| 31 | Robert Zimmermann (SUI) | Switzerland | + 2h 44' 23" |
| 32 | Pierre Cloarec (FRA) | Individual | + 2h 46' 06" |
| 33 | Antoon Van Schendel (NED) | Netherlands | + 2h 53' 14" |
| 34 | Gabriel Dubois (FRA) | Individual | + 3h 11' 32" |
| 35 | Jean Goujon (FRA) | Individual | + 3h 19' 16" |
| 36 | Carlo Romanatti (ITA) | Italy | + 3h 19' 29" |
| 37 | Heinz Wengler (GER) | Germany | + 3h 28' 04" |
| 38 | François Neuens (LUX) | Luxembourg | + 3h 32' 10" |
| 39 | René Pedroli (SUI) | Switzerland | + 4h 02' 48" |
| 40 | Raymond Lemarié (FRA) | Individual | + 4h 08' 12" |
| 41 | Otto Weckerling (GER) | Germany | + 4h 19' 08" |
| 42 | Bruno Carini (FRA) | Individual | + 4h 27' 42" |
| 43 | Herbert Hauswald (GER) | Germany | + 5h 03' 09" |
| 44 | Émile Gamard (FRA) | France | + 5h 52' 42" |
| 45 | Reinhold Wendel (GER) | Germany | + 6h 15' 29" |
| 46 | Aloïs Klensch (LUX) | Luxembourg | + 6h 39' 25" |

### Mountains classification

Mountains in the mountains classification :
| Stage | Rider | Height | Mountain range | Winner |
| 4 | Ballon d'Alsace | 1,178 metres (3,865 ft) | Vosges | Erich Bautz |
| 6 | Aravis | 1,498 metres (4,915 ft) | Alps | Gino Bartali |
| 6 | Tamié | 920 metres (3,020 ft) | Alps | Félicien Vervaecke |
| 7 | Galibier | 2,556 metres (8,386 ft) | Alps | Gino Bartali |
| 8 | Laffrey | 900 metres (3,000 ft) | Alps | Gino Bartali |
| 9 | Izoard | 2,361 metres (7,746 ft) | Alps | Julián Berrendero |
| 9 | Vars | 2,110 metres (6,920 ft) | Alps | Edward Vissers |
| 9 | Allos | 2,250 metres (7,380 ft) | Alps | Mario Vicini |
| 10 | Braus | 1,002 metres (3,287 ft) | Alps-Maritimes | Félicien Vervaecke |
| 10 | La Turbie | 555 metres (1,821 ft) | Alps-Maritimes | Henri Puppo |
| 14b | Puymorens | 1,920 metres (6,300 ft) | Pyrenees | Julián Berrendero |
| 14c | Port | 1,249 metres (4,098 ft) | Pyrenees | Julián Berrendero |
| 14c | Portet d'Aspet | 1,069 metres (3,507 ft) | Pyrenees | Julián Berrendero |
| 15 | Peyresourde | 1,569 metres (5,148 ft) | Pyrenees | Julián Berrendero |
| 15 | Aspin | 1,489 metres (4,885 ft) | Pyrenees | Julián Berrendero |
| 15 | Tourmalet | 2,115 metres (6,939 ft) | Pyrenees | Julián Berrendero |
| 15 | Aubisque | 1,709 metres (5,607 ft) | Pyrenees | Mario Vicini |
Final mountains classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Félicien Vervaecke (BEL) | Belgium | 114 |
| 2 | Mario Vicini (ITA) | Individual | 96 |
| 3 | Sylvère Maes (BEL) | Belgium | 90 |
| 4 | Julián Berrendero (ESP) | Spain | 75 |
| 5 | Ward Vissers (BEL) | Individual | 66 |
| 6 | Jules Lowie (BEL) | Belgium | 57 |
| 7 | Gino Bartali (ITA) | Italy | 50 |
| 7 | Pierre Gallien (FRA) | Touriste-routier | 50 |
| 9 | Marcel Kint (BEL) | Belgium | 29 |
| 10 | Fédérico Ezquerra (ESP) | Spain | 27 |

### Team classification

Final team classification (1–6) :
| Rank | Team | Time |
| 1 | France | 418h 36' 28" |
| 2 | Italy | + 2h 54' 18" |
| 3 | Germany | + 3h 12' 22" |
| 4 | Switzerland | + 3h 57' 35" |
| 5 | Spain | + 10h 04' 07" |
| 6 | Luxembourg | + 10h 42' 01" |

## Aftermath

The riders in the individual category had performed very well in the 1937 Tour de France; the second-placed cyclist in the general classification had started in the individuals category, as were in total twelve cyclists in the top twenty. Still, the category was removed after 1937.