Jacques Anquetil & Franco Bitossi, 1966 Tour de France, Original Vintage Press Photograph

Jacques Anquetil was the first rider to win the Tour de France five times and is still one of only four riders to complete the stunning record. Anquetil won the Tour de France in 1957, 1961, 1962, 1963, and 1964. He won the Giro d’Italia in both 1960 and 1964 and the Vuelta a Espana in 1963. He is one of only six cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours. Anquetil won eight Grand Tours in his career, which was a record when he retired and has only since been surpassed by Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault.

Anquetil stated before the 1961 Tour that he would gain the yellow jersey on day one and wear it all through the tour, a tall order with two previous winners in the field—Charly Gaul and Federico Bahamontes—but he did it. His victories in stage races such as the Tour were built on an exceptional ability to ride alone against the clock in individual time trial stages, which lent him the name “Monsieur Chrono”.

Franco Bitossi, captured here chatting with Anquetil at the 1966 Tour de France, raced as a professional from 1961 to 1978 winning a total of 171 races. In 1965 he won the Tour de Suisse and the Züri-Metzgete, which he won again in 1968. In 1967 he won the Tirreno–Adriatico, Giro di Lombardia and Coppa Agostoni, while in 1968 he became the first Italian to win the points classification in the Tour de France.  At the Giro d’Italia Bitossi won the Points Classification twice (1969 & 1970),  the Mountains Classification three times (1964, 1965 & 1966), and 21 individual stages.

Original Vintage Press Photograph

Size: 18.5 x 24 cm (7.25 x 9.5 in)

As the photographs are quite old and one of a kind, please look carefully at the photos to determine the condition.

This photograph is an original print –  the real deal.