André Darrigade

André Darrigade (born 24 April 1929 in Narrosse) is a retired French professional road bicycle racer between 1951 and 1966. Darrigade, a road sprinter won the 1959 World Championship and 22 stages of the Tour de France. Five of those Tour victories were on opening days, a record tied by Fabian Cancellara in 2012 (who won 4 prologues and an individual time trial in 2009).Vélo, France, undated cutting

Early life and amateur career

André Darrigade was born at Narosse, near Dax in the forested Landes region. He came to attention at the other end of the country and on the track by beating the future world sprint champion, Antonio Maspes in a meeting at the Vélodrome d'Hiver the night before the Six Days of Paris race there.

His name immediately appealed to northern crowds. René de Latour said: "It is a very 'musical' name to orthernFrench ears, especially when pronounced by a southerner who rolls his Rs like a Scotsman to make it sound like ''Darrrrrigade''.Sporting Cyclist, UK, undated cutting De Latour said:

:André Darrigade is heavily built and would have made a good football centre forward. He has blond hair, clear eyes, rosy cheeks, and is a bit on the shy side. When we first saw him in Paris soon after the war finished he was a novice, not a roadman at all. He had come to the big city to ride in the final of the famous Médaille race at the Vélodrome d'Hiver. When he arrived at the Vélodrome d'Hiver, he had no soigneur, no dressing gown, nobody to hold him up at the start, pump his tyres or adjust his position to suit the high, frightening bankings. He was lonely — but courageous. And guess who was his principal victim — Antonio Maspes!

Darrigade stayed in Paris and joined one of its leading clubs, the Vélo-Club d'Asnières-Courbevoie, at the invitation of Francis Pélissier, the former professional who was one of its officials. Darrigade rode again on the track at the Vél' d'Hiv, winning madisons and sprints, and won four races on the road. He turned professional in 1951 for a salary that barely covered his rent.

Professional career

Raphaël Géminiani said: "Darrigade was the greatest French sprinter of all time and he'll stay that way for a long time. The mould has been broken. But he wasn't just a sprinter. He was an ''animateur'' who could start decisive breaks; he destroyed the image of sprinters who just sit on wheels." He began his sprints from a long distance from the line, challenging others to pass him. It endeared him to the French public, said de Latour.

Darrigade wore 19 yellow jerseys and won 22 stages. He won the opening stage of the Tour de France in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 and 1961. Darrigade lost time in the mountains and his best final positions were 16th in 1956, 1959 and 1960.

In single-day races, he won the national championship in 1955 on the famous Boucles de l'Aulne in Châteaulin, beating a Louison Bobet at the top of his career (reigning world champion and winner of the Tour de France 1953, 1954 and 1955).
He won the 1956 Giro di Lombardia, beating the Campionissimo Fausto Coppi in front of his home crowd at the Milan velodrome. A fortnight later he beat Coppi again to win the Trofeo Baracchi with Rolf Graf.
He won the world championship in Zandvoort on 16 August 1959, dominating a breakaway of eight riders, ahead of the Italian Michele Gismondi and the Belgian Noël Foré.

Darrigade was at his best in the middle of the season and the spring races were too early and those in autumn too late. He did, however, come fourth in the 1957 Paris–Roubaix, third in the 1958 Milan–San Remo and second in Paris–Brussels in 1960.

He said: "I was always considered a team man. I never had any pretensions to be anything else. In the days when the Tour had national teams, Marcel Bidot he manageralways saw me as just that. Those wins never became dull or routine. Each one was an immense pleasure. What's more, I had the chance to race alongside such great champions as Louison Bobet and Jacques Anquetil." He was close to Anquetil, whom he called "bizarrely calm." He said: "Quite often, I had to say to him, 'If you don't get going, you'll lose the Tour."

On 19 July 1958 the Tour finished at the Parc des Princes in western Paris. The 70-year-old ''sécrétaire-général'' of the stadium, Constant Wouters ran across the grass in the centre of the ground to prevent photographers encroaching on the track. The journalists hid the riders and Wouters from each other and Darrigade rode into Wouters as he stepped onto the track. Darrigade was lifted from his bike and turned round and Wouters thrown into the air. Both fell heavily and were taken to hospital. Wouters was treated at the nearby Boucicaut medical centre but died on 31 July. Darrigade cracked his skull and broke ribs. He was able to return before the end of the meeting to take a lap of honour.

Honours and personal life

When Darrigade retired from cycle racing he ran a newspaper shop in Biarritz. On retiring for good, André became an ardent fan of Biarritz Olympique, the town's rugby team, with his friend Albaladejo. A stadium (Stade Omnisports André Darrigade) in Dax is named after Darrigade .

On 12 July 2017, a 6 metre tall statue, designed by "Meilleur Ouvrier de France" Guy Pendanx, was unveiled in Darrigade's honour in Narrosse .
Darrigade's brother, Roger, six years younger, also rode as a professional. In 1955, both brothers were French national champions, André as a professional and Roger as an amateur. André Darrigade has two sons and two grandson and is an officer of the Légion d'Honneur.

Career achievements

Major results

1949
* Winner of La Médaille
* Champion of Paris of Military Speed
* 1st Grand Prix d'automne de vitesse
* 2nd French Military Championship

1950
* 1st Grand Prix de Boulogne
* 1st Grand Prix de Paris-Beauvais
* 1st Prix des oeuvres sociales à Daumesnil
* 1st Critérium des vainqueurs
* 3rd Paris-Dolhain

1951
* Bordeaux-Saintes
* 1st Grand Prix des Alliés in Joinville
* 1st Grand Prix d'Uza
* 1st Grand Prix d'Eckbolsheim
* 1st Grand Prix de Castelnau-Magnoac
* 1st Grand Prix de Mirande-Astarac
* 1st Grand Prix d'Albret
* 2nd Grand Prix du Courrier picard
* 2nd Grand Prix de l'Écho d'Alger

1952
* 1st stage Paris-Saint Etienne
* 1st stage Paris-Côte d'Azur
* 10th stage Tour d'Algérie
* 1st Grand Prix du Mans
* 1st Grand Prix du Boucau
* 1st Grand Prix d'Issoire
* 1st Circuit des 2 Ponts
* 3rd Critérium des As
* 6th Paris–Tours

1953
* Tour de France
:: 1st stage 12
* 6th stage du Tour du Sud-Est
* 1st Prix d'Arras
* 1st La Rochelle-Angoulême
* 1st Circuit de la Chalosse
* 2nd Paris-Bourges

1954
* 1st Overall Tour de Picardie
:: 1st stage 2
* 1st Grand Prix du Pneumatique
* 1st Grand Prix de la Marseillaise
* 1st Grand Prix du Tour
* 1st Critérium de Bordeaux
* 1st Critérium de Montlhéry
* 3rd Roue d'Or à Daumesnil

1955
* 1st Road race, National Road Championships
* Tour de France
:: 1st stage 6
* 1st Grand Prix de l'Écho d'Alger
* 3rd stage Trois jours d'Anvers
* 1st Critérium de Bordeaux
* 1st Critérium de Montlhéry
* 1st Critérium de Napoli
* 1st Grand Prix de Mont-de-Marsan
* 1st Grand Prix de Charlieu
* 1st Grand Prix d'Issoire
* 2nd Second Time Trial Team Barcelona Mediterranean Games
* 2nd Trofeo Baracchi (with Jacques Anquetil)

1956
* Tour de France
:: 1st stage 1
:: Combativity award Overall
:: Held Maillot Jaune during 6 stages
* 1st Giro di Lombardia
* 1st Trofeo Baracchi (with Rolf Graf)
* 1st Critérium d'Amiens
* 1st Critérium de Beverloo
* 1st Grand Prix de Brigueil-le-Chantre
* 1st Grand Prix de Moulins-Engelbert
* 2nd Paris-Limoges
* 2nd Roue d'Or à Daumesnil (with Jacques Anquetil)
* 2nd du Grand Prix de l'Écho d'Alger
* 3rd Circuit de l'Aulne

1957
* 3rd World Road Race Championships
* Tour de France
:: 1st stages 1, 3a, 21 & 22
:: Held Maillot Jaune during 1 stage
* 1st stage 3 a Tour de Romandie
* 1st Six Days of Paris (with Jacques Anquetil and Ferdinando Terruzzi)
* 1st Roue d'Or à Daumesnil (with Jacques Anquetil)
* 1st Grand Prix d'Europe (team time trial)
* 1st Grand Prix d'Orchies
* 1st Grand Prix de Ravennes
* 1st Grand Prix de Vergt
* 1st Grand Prix de Sant-Denis
* 1st Grand Prix de Chalons-sur-Saône
* 1st Grand Prix de Scaer
* 2nd Critérium des As
* 2nd Grand Prix d'Issoire
* 4th Paris–Roubaix
* 6th Giro di Lombardia
* 7th Bordeaux-Paris
* 8th Tour de Romandie
* 9th Milan San–Remo

1958
* 3rd World Road Race Championships
* Tour de France
:: 1st stages 1, 9, 15, 17 & 22
:: Held Maillot Jaune during 5 stages
* 1st Six Days of Paris (with Jacques Anquetil and Ferdinando Terruzzi)
* 1st Paris-Valenciennes
* 1st Roue d'Or à Daumesnil (with Jacques Anquetil)
* 1st stage 2 GP Marvan (team time trial)
* 1st stage 1 Four Days of Dunkirk
* 1st Critérium d'Alger
* 1st Critérium des Essarts
* 1st Critérium de Londerzeel
* 1st Critérium de Guecho
* 1st Grand Prix de Boulogne
* 1st Grand Prix de Montceau-les-Mines
* 1st Grand Prix de Guerêt
* 1st Grand Prix de Rouen
* 2nd Trofeo Baracchi (with Jacques Anquetil)
* 2nd Critérium des As
* 3rd Milan-San Remo
* 3rd Four Days of Dunkirk
* 6th Paris–Tours

1959
* 1st World Road Race Championships
* Tour de France
:: 1st Points classification
:: 1st stages 1 & 11
:: Held Maillot Jaune during 2 stages
* 1st Critérium International
* 1st Trophée Longines (team time trial, with Jacques Anquetil, Seamus Elliott, Jean Graczyk and Michel Vermeulin)
* 1st Critérium de Barcelone
* 1st Critérium de Dublin
* 1st Grand Prix de Veyrac
* 1st Roue d'Or à Daumesnil (with Roger Rivière, Louison Bobet and Roger Hassenforder)
* 2nd Six Days of Ghent (with Gerrit Schulte)
* 3rd Trophée Baracchi (with Jacques Anquetil)
* 3rd Prestige Pernod
* 6th Giro di Lombardia
* 9th Super Prestige Pernod

1960
* 2nd World Road Race Championships
* 3rd French National Road Race Championships
* Tour de France
:: 1st stage 5
* 1st stage 15 Giro d’Italia
* 1st stage 6 a Paris–Nice
* 1st stages 2 & 4 a Tour de Romandie
* 1st Manx Trophy
* 1st stage 5 Gênes-Rome
* 1st Critérium d'Arras
* 1st Grand Prix de Quillan
* 2nd Critérium des As
* 2nd Brussels Cycling Classic
* 2nd Circuit du Trégor
* 2nd Prestige Pernod
* 2nd Roue d'Or à Daumesnil (with Jacques Anquetil)
* 3rd Trophée Longines
* 3rd Circuit de l'Aulne
* 10th Tour de Romandie

1961
* Tour de France
:: 1st Points classification
:: 1st stages 1a, 2, 13 & 20
:: Held Maillot Jaune during 1 stage
* 1st stage 1 Critérium du Dauphiné
* 1st stage 2 Paris–Nice
* 1st Grand Prix du Parisien
* 1st Critérium de Daumesnil
* 1st Critérium de Narbonne
* 1st Grand Prix de Magny-Cours
* 1st Grand Prix de La Bastide d'Armagnac
* 1st Grand Prix de Rousies
* 1st Grand Prix de la Ronde du Parc à Montélimar
* 1st Grand Prix de Nogaro
* 1st Grand Prix de Plougasnou
* 1st Grand Prix de la Ville de Figeac
* 2nd Critérium International
* 2nd Manx Trophy
* 3rd Critérium des As
* 3rd Circuit de l'Aulne
* 8th Milan-San Remo

1962
* Tour de France
:: 1st stage 2a
:: Held Maillot Jaune during 4 stages
* 1st stage 3 b Critérium du Dauphiné
* 1st stages 6 & 8 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
* 1st Grand Prix d'Aix
* 1st Grand Prix de Caen
* 1st Grand Prix de Beaumont en Périgord
* 1st Grand Prix de Lalinde
* 1st Grand Prix de Dax
* 2nd Grand Prix de la Trinité
* 3nd Circuit de l'Aulne
* 5th Liège-Bastogne-Liège
* 6th Trofeo Baracchi (with Joseph Velly)

1963
* Tour de France
:: 1st stage 12
* 1st stage 6 Paris–Nice
* 1st stage 3 Tour du Sud-Est
* 1st stage 3 Tour du Var
* 1st Grand Prix de Lalinde
* 1st Grand Prix de Vichy
* 1st Grand Prix de Miramont
* 1st Grand Prix de la Ronde de Camors
* 2nd Grand Prix du Parisien
* 3rd Gênes-Nice
* 3rd Six jours de Montréal (with Willi Altig)
* 3rd Roue d'Or à Daumesnil (with Jean Stablinski)
* 4th World Road Race Championships
* 6th Critérium des As

1964
* Tour de France
:: 1st stages 2 & 18
* 1st stages 8 b & 9 b Critérium du Dauphiné
* 1st stage 5 Paris–Nice
* 1st Genoa–Nice
* 1st Grand Prix de La Bastide d'Armagnac
* 1st Grand Prix de Château-Chinon
* 1st Grand Prix de Guêret
* 1st Grand Prix Lalinde
* 1st Grand Prix de Caen
* 1st stage 3 Circuit provençal
* 6th UEC European Track Championships – Men's omnium

1965
* 1st Grand Prix de Trélissac
* 1st Grand Prix de Miramont
* 4th Grand Prix du Parisien
* 6th Six Days of Antwerp

1966
* 1st Ronde de Monaco
* 1st Grand Prix de Maurs
* 1st Grand Prix de Brioude

Major championships timeline

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

Classics results timeline

See also

* List of French people
* UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race
* Grand Tour (cycling)
* Tour de France records and statistics
* Yellow jersey statistics
* List of Tour de France secondary classification winners
* List of Grand Tour points classification winners
* Combativity award in the Tour de France

References

External links

Memoire du cyclisme

CycleBase

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darrigade, Andre
1929 births
French male cyclists
French Tour de France stage winners
French Giro d'Italia stage winners
Living people
Sportspeople from Landes (department)
UCI Road World Champions (elite men)
Cyclists from Nouvelle-Aquitaine