# 1933 Tour de France

The 1933 Tour de France was the 27th edition of the Tour de France, taking place from 27 June to 23 July. It consisted of 23 stages over 4,395 km (2,731 mi).
This race featured the introduction of the mountains competition, in which cyclists were challenged to climb the mountains the fastest, with points given to the fastest ascenders. This competition was won by Spaniard Vicente Trueba, who reached 9 of the 16 mountain peaks first.
The time bonus of two minutes had a large influence on the outcome of the race. Thanks to this bonus, Georges Speicher won the race; without the bonus, Italian Giuseppe Martano would have been the winner.

## Innovations and changes

In the 1932 Tour de France, the bonus system had had a major impact on the results: without these bonuses, the difference between the number one and number two would have been only three seconds, but with these bonuses, it became more than 24 minutes. In 1933, the bonus time was reduced: only the winner received two minutes of bonus time.
Since the 1913 Tour de France, the Tour de France had been counter-clockwise. In 1933, this changed, and the race was run clockwise again.

## Teams

Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and France entered national teams, consisting of eight cyclists (Les As). Additionally, 40 Les Individuels, cyclists without a team (including two Spaniards and an Austrian), entered the race.
Georges Ronsse, Learco Guerra, Albert Büchi, Kurt Stöpel and André Leducq were the captains of their respective teams.

## Pre-race favourites

The French team has been named the best collection of pre-war cyclists. The Belgian team had talented riders, but were split between French-speaking and Dutch-speaking cyclists. The Italian team was headed by Learco Guerra. Guerra had won three stages in the 1933 Giro d'Italia and had been world champion. Tour director Henri Desgrange had named Guerra as probable winner of the race.

## Route and stages

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 | 27 June | Paris to Lille | 262 km (163 mi) | | Plain stage | Maurice Archambaud (FRA) |
| 2 | 28 June | Lille to Charleville | 192 km (119 mi) | | Plain stage | Learco Guerra (ITA) |
| 3 | 29 June | Charleville to Metz | 166 km (103 mi) | | Plain stage | Alfons Schepers (BEL) |
| 4 | 30 June | Metz to Belfort | 220 km (140 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Jean Aerts (BEL) |
| 5 | 1 July | Belfort to Evian | 293 km (182 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Léon Louyet (BEL) |
| 6 | 3 July | Evian to Aix-les-Bains | 207 km (129 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Learco Guerra (ITA) |
| 7 | 4 July | Aix-les-Bains to Grenoble | 229 km (142 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Learco Guerra (ITA) |
| 8 | 5 July | Grenoble to Gap | 102 km (63 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Georges Speicher (FRA) |
| 9 | 6 July | Gap to Digne | 227 km (141 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Georges Speicher (FRA) |
| 10 | 7 July | Digne to Nice | 156 km (97 mi) | | Plain stage | Fernand Cornez (FRA) |
| 11 | 9 July | Nice to Cannes | 128 km (80 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Maurice Archambaud (FRA) |
| 12 | 10 July | Cannes to Marseille | 208 km (129 mi) | | Plain stage | Georges Speicher (FRA) |
| 13 | 11 July | Marseille to Montpellier | 168 km (104 mi) | | Plain stage | André Leducq (FRA) |
| 14 | 12 July | Montpellier to Perpignan | 166 km (103 mi) | | Plain stage | André Leducq (FRA) |
| 15 | 14 July | Perpignan to Ax-les-Thermes | 158 km (98 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Jean Aerts (BEL) |
| 16 | 15 July | Ax-les-Thermes to Luchon | 165 km (103 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Léon Louyet (BEL) |
| 17 | 16 July | Luchon to Tarbes | 91 km (57 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Jean Aerts (BEL) |
| 18 | 17 July | Tarbes to Pau | 185 km (115 mi) | | Stage with mountain(s) | Learco Guerra (ITA) |
| 19 | 19 July | Pau to Bordeaux | 233 km (145 mi) | | Plain stage | Jean Aerts (BEL) |
| 20 | 20 July | Bordeaux to La Rochelle | 183 km (114 mi) | | Plain stage | Jean Aerts (BEL) |
| 21 | 21 July | La Rochelle to Rennes | 266 km (165 mi) | | Plain stage | Jean Aerts (BEL) |
| 22 | 22 July | Rennes to Caen | 169 km (105 mi) | | Plain stage | René Le Grevès (FRA) |
| 23 | 23 July | Caen to Paris | 222 km (138 mi) | | Plain stage | Learco Guerra (ITA) |
| | Total | Total | 4,395 km (2,731 mi) | 4,395 km (2,731 mi) | 4,395 km (2,731 mi) | 4,395 km (2,731 mi) | 4,395 km (2,731 mi) |

## Race overview

On 27 June 1933, the Tour de France was started by Josephine Baker. The French team, that had won the last three Tours de France, started well. Maurice Archambaud won the first stage, and lead the general classification until the Alps. In the third stage, French sprinter Charles Pélissier, who had already won 13 Tour stages in his career, hit a car. He continued the race, but was injured, and finished behind the time limit.
Until the eighth stage, the battle for the lead was between Archambaud and Learco Guerra. In that eighth stage, French cyclist Georges Speicher asked permission to his team leader Archambaud if he could go for the stage win, and he could. He raced away, and won the stage.
In the mountains of the ninth stage, Archambaud could not compete with the rest. When Archambaud folded on the Allos, somebody else could take over the lead. The next cyclist in the General Classification, Guerra, had a flat tire, and could not win enough time. In the end, it was unknown Belgian Georges Lemaire who took over the lead. Guerra was only 23 seconds behind in the General Classification after that stage.
In stage 10, all but six cyclists finished more than 22 minutes after the winner. According to the rules, the cut-off time (the extra time that a cyclist can lose on the stage winner before he is taken out of the race) was 8% of the time of the stage winner. That rule would have put everybody but these six cyclists out of the race. Because of this, the Tour director Henri Desgrange extended the cut-off time for this stage to 10%, in this way 43 cyclists stayed in the race.
In the eleventh stage, the cut-off time was 10%. This would take four cyclists out of the race, but for them the cut-off time was increased to 15%. One of these cyclists had been hit by a car from the Tour direction. Maurice Archambaud took back the lead after that stage thanks to the bonus time, but not for long, as he lost time in the next stage.
Georges Speicher led the race from stage 12 on. In the mountains, Speicher struggled. He was dropped many times on the climbs, but was a good descender and got back to the lead group every time. Lemaire initially stayed close to Speicher, and was only 15 seconds behind in the general classification. l'Equipe wrote that with the help of his Belgian team, Lemaire could have challenged Speicher for the overall victory, especially thanks to the help of Jean Aerts. But the Belgian team was still divided between the Dutch-speaking and French-speaking cyclists, and Jean Aerts did not help Lemaire but went for his own success.
In the 21st stage, the initial winner Le Grèves together with the initial second-placed cyclist Louyet were punished by the jury, because of irregular sprinting. They were set back to the 6th and 7th place, and Jean Aerts, who initially was third, was named the winner of the race.
In the 22nd stage, the winner of the race was determined by one lap in the velodrome. This had not been planned, but was done because when the first group with 28 cyclists reached the velodrome, the gates were still closed.
Before the last stage, Martano was in second place, and Guerra in third. This last stage was won by Guerra, and thanks to the bonus time of two minutes, Guerra took over the second place.

## 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.
The bonus in the 1933 Tour de France were also decisive for the overall victory. Without the bonus of two minutes for the stage winner, Giuseppe Martano would have won the race. Speicher received six minutes for his three-stage victories and Guerra ten minutes for five victories, whereas Martano had received no bonus time.
The mountains classification in the Tour de France was calculated for the first time in 1933. There were 16 mountains in the route of the 1933 Tour de France, and for the first cyclists to reach the top of the mountain, points were given. The first on the top got 10 points, the second 9 points, and so on, until the tenth cyclist who received 1 point. In 1933, it was sponsored by Martini & Rossi.
For the fourth time, there was an official team competition, this time won by the French team. The team classification was calculated in 1933 by adding up the times of the best three cyclists of a team; the team with the least time was the winner.
All five teams finished with at least three cyclists, so all five teams were ranked in the final team classification.
Third-placed Giuseppe Martano became the winner of the "Les Individuels" category. This classification was calculated in the same way as the general classification, but only the cyclists riding as individuals were eligible.
Classification leadership by stage :
| Stage | Winner | General classification | Mountains classification | Team classification | Classification for individuals |
| 1 | Maurice Archambaud | Maurice Archambaud | no award | Belgium | Léon Louyet |
| 2 | Learco Guerra | Maurice Archambaud | no award | Belgium | Louis Hardiquest |
| 3 | Alphonse Schepers | Maurice Archambaud | no award | Belgium | Louis Hardiquest |
| 4 | Jean Aerts | Maurice Archambaud | Vicente Trueba | Belgium | Louis Hardiquest |
| 5 | Léon Louyet | Maurice Archambaud | Vicente Trueba | Belgium | Louis Hardiquest |
| 6 | Learco Guerra | Maurice Archambaud | Vicente Trueba | Belgium | Gaspard Rinaldi |
| 7 | Learco Guerra | Maurice Archambaud | Vicente Trueba | Belgium | Gaspard Rinaldi |
| 8 | Georges Speicher | Maurice Archambaud | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 9 | Georges Speicher | Georges Lemaire | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 10 | Fernand Cornez | Georges Lemaire | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 11 | Maurice Archambaud | Maurice Archambaud | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 12 | Georges Speicher | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 13 | André Leducq | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 14 | André Leducq | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 15 | Jean Aerts | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 16 | Léon Louyet | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 17 | Jean Aerts | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 18 | Learco Guerra | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 19 | Jean Aerts | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 20 | Jean Aerts | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 21 | Jean Aerts | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 22 | René Le Grevès | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| 23 | Learco Guerra | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |
| Final | Final | Georges Speicher | Vicente Trueba | France | Giuseppe Martano |

## Final standings
### General classification

Final general classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Georges Speicher (FRA) | France | 147h 51' 37" |
| 2 | Learco Guerra (ITA) | Italy | + 4' 01" |
| 3 | Giuseppe Martano (ITA) | Individual | + 5' 08" |
| 4 | Georges Lemaire (BEL) | Belgium | + 15' 45" |
| 5 | Maurice Archambaud (FRA) | France | + 21' 22" |
| 6 | Vicente Trueba (ESP) | Individual | + 27' 27" |
| 7 | Léon Level (FRA) | Individual | + 35' 19" |
| 8 | Antonin Magne (FRA) | France | + 36' 37" |
| 9 | Jean Aerts (BEL) | Belgium | + 42' 53" |
| 10 | Kurt Stöpel (GER) | Germany/Austria | + 45' 28" |
Final general classification (11–40) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 11 | Fernand Fayolle (FRA) | Individual | + 56' 11" |
| 12 | Ludwig Geyer (GER) | Germany/Austria | + 57' 04" |
| 13 | Albert Büchi (SUI) | Switzerland | + 1h 07' 59" |
| 14 | Gaston Rebry (BEL) | Belgium | + 1h 20' 16" |
| 15 | Gaspard Rinaldi (FRA) | Individual | + 1h 22' 12" |
| 16 | Eugène Le Goff (FRA) | Individual | + 1h 24' 59" |
| 17 | Léon Le Calvez (FRA) | France | + 1h 38' 44" |
| 18 | Alfons Schepers (BEL) | Belgium | + 1h 39' 49" |
| 19 | René Le Grevès (FRA) | France | + 1h 48' 31" |
| 20 | Alfred Büchi (SUI) | Switzerland | + 1h 49' 59" |
| 21 | Decimo Bettini (ITA) | Individual | + 1h 51' 51" |
| 22 | Émile Decroix (BEL) | Individual | + 1h 52' 46" |
| 23 | Oskar Thierbach (GER) | Germany/Austria | + 1h 55' 51" |
| 24 | Robert Brugère (FRA) | Individual | + 2h 06' 44" |
| 25 | Alfred Bula (SUI) | Switzerland | + 2h 12' 34" |
| 26 | Antoine Dignef (BEL) | Individual | + 2h 15' 30" |
| 27 | Alfons Deloor (BEL) | Belgium | + 2h 15' 48" |
| 28 | Luigi Giacobbe (ITA) | Italy | + 2h 29' 19" |
| 29 | Roger Lapébie (FRA) | France | + 2h 30' 37" |
| 30 | Walter Blattmann (SUI) | Switzerland | + 2h 31' 35" |
| 31 | André Leducq (FRA) | France | + 2h 39' 36" |
| 32 | Léon Louyet (BEL) | Individual | + 2h 43' 14" |
| 33 | André Gaillot (FRA) | Individual | + 2h 51' 50" |
| 34 | René Bernard (FRA) | Individual | + 2h 54' 25" |
| 35 | Fernand Cornez (FRA) | Individual | + 2h 58' 49" |
| 36 | Roger Pipoz (SUI) | Switzerland | + 3h 05' 20" |
| 37 | Pierre Pastorelli (FRA) | Individual | + 3h 15' 42" |
| 38 | Pierre Cloarec (FRA) | Individual | + 3h 18' 30" |
| 39 | Vasco Bergamaschi (ITA) | Italy | + 3h 42' 49" |
| 40 | Ernest Neuhard (FRA) | Individual | + 3h 57' 44" |

### Mountains classification

Mountains in the mountains classification :
| Stage | Rider | Height | Mountain range | Winner |
| 4 | Ballon d'Alsace | 1,178 metres (3,865 ft) | Vosges | Vicente Trueba |
| 5 | Faucille | 1,323 metres (4,341 ft) | Jura | Antonin Magne |
| 6 | Aravis | 1,498 metres (4,915 ft) | Alps | Alfons Schepers |
| 7 | Télégraphe | 1,566 metres (5,138 ft) | Alps | Alfons Schepers |
| 7 | Galibier | 2,556 metres (8,386 ft) | Alps | Vicente Trueba |
| 8 | Côte de Laffrey | 900 metres (3,000 ft) | Alps | Francesco Camusso |
| 9 | Vars | 2,110 metres (6,920 ft) | Alps | Vicente Trueba |
| 9 | Allos | 2,250 metres (7,380 ft) | Alps | Fernand Fayolle |
| 11 | Braus | 1,002 metres (3,287 ft) | Alps-Maritimes | Vicente Trueba |
| 15 | Puymorens | 1,915 metres (6,283 ft) | Pyrenees | Antonin Magne |
| 16 | Col de Port | 1,249 metres (4,098 ft) | Pyrenees | Vicente Trueba |
| 16 | Portet d'Aspet | 1,069 metres (3,507 ft) | Pyrenees | Alfons Schepers |
| 17 | Peyresourde | 1,569 metres (5,148 ft) | Pyrenees | Vicente Trueba |
| 17 | Aspin | 1,489 metres (4,885 ft) | Pyrenees | Vicente Trueba |
| 18 | Tourmalet | 2,115 metres (6,939 ft) | Pyrenees | Vicente Trueba |
| 18 | Aubisque | 1,709 metres (5,607 ft) | Pyrenees | Vicente Trueba |
Final mountains classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Vicente Trueba (ESP) | Individual | 134 (126) |
| 2 | Antonin Magne (FRA) | France | 81 (78) |
| 3 | Giuseppe Martano (ITA) | Individual | 78 (75) |
| 4 | Léon Level (FRA) | Individual | 54 |
| 5 | Alfons Schepers (BEL) | Belgium | 51 |
| 5 | Gaspard Rinaldi (FRA) | Individual | 51 |
| 7 | Maurice Archambaud (FRA) | France | 45 |
| 8 | Eugène Le Goff (FRA) | Individual | 44 |
| 9 | Fernand Fayolle (FRA) | Individual | 39 |
| 10 | Albert Büchi (SUI) | Switzerland | 33 |

### Team classification

Final team classification :
| Rank | Team | Time |
| 1 | France | 444h 32' 50" |
| 2 | Belgium | + 1h 20' 56" |
| 3 | Germany/Austria | + 2h 40' 24" |
| 4 | Switzerland | + 4h 12' 33" |
| 5 | Italy | + 5h 18' 10" |

## Aftermath

For the 1933 UCI Road World Championships, that was held after the race, Tour de France winner Georges Speicher was initially not selected. Only after a French cyclist that had been selected dropped out, Speicher was brought in as a replacement at the last notice, and won the race. Speicher was the first cyclist to win the Tour de France and the World Championship in the same year.
The national team format that had been introduced in 1930, had in four races produced four French victories. The French audience was therefore greatly interested in the race, and the organising newspaper l'Auto had a record circulation of 854000.