Jacques Anquetil

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Lore & Background

Anquetil's first Tour victory came in 1957, and he followed it with four consecutive wins from 1961 to 1964. Before the 1961 Tour, he boldly stated he would take the yellow jersey on the first day and keep it through the entire race—a feat he accomplished despite the presence of two previous winners, Charly Gaul and Federico Bahamontes. His dominance was built on an exceptional ability to ride alone against the clock in individual time trials, earning him the nickname "Monsieur Chrono." He won eight Grand Tours in his career, a record at the time of his retirement, later surpassed by Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. Anquetil was born on 8 January 1934 in Mont-Saint-Aignan, a suburb of Rouen in Normandy. He received his first bike at age 4, and at 14 he began technical college to become a metalworker, where he met Maurice Dieulois and got into bicycle racing through the AC Sottevillais club under André Boucher. His amateur career included winning the French amateur championships in Carcassonne. In 1953, still a minor, he signed a two-month contract with La Perle to race the Grand Prix des Nations, which he won by almost seven minutes, coming within 35 seconds of Hugo Koblet's course record. He followed up with a win in the Grand Prix de Lugano in 1954 and a second-place finish in the Trofeo Baracchi alongside Antonin Rolland.

In Their Own Story

On 27 September 1953, a 19-year-old Jacques Anquetil lined up for the Grand Prix des Nations, a 140 km time trial from Versailles to the Parc des Princes in Paris. He had prepared meticulously, sending himself postcards from different places along the route to memorize the course. Despite a puncture and a bike swap within the first couple of kilometres, he won by almost seven minutes ahead of Roger Creton, coming within 35 seconds of beating the track record set by Hugo Koblet two years earlier. The victory made him an instant sensation, with Tour de France director Jacques Goddet writing an article in L'Equipe titled 'When the Child Champion was Born.' Three weeks later, Anquetil won the Grand Prix de Lugano in Switzerland, then was invited to the prestigious Trofeo Baracchi two-man time trial in Italy. On his way there, he visited his idol Fausto Coppi, and both competed in the race—Coppi winning alongside Riccardo Filippi, while Anquetil and his partner Antonin Rolland finished second. Rolland commented afterward: 'I...'

Reader's Guide

Anquetil's Tour de France legacy is defined by his five victories: 1957 and four consecutive from 1961 to 1964. His 1961 Tour was particularly remarkable: he declared before the race that he would take the yellow jersey on day one and wear it all through the tour, and he delivered on that promise despite facing two previous winners, Charly Gaul and Federico Bahamontes. His success was built on an exceptional ability to ride alone against the clock in individual time trials, which earned him the nickname 'Monsieur Chrono.' He won eight Grand Tours in his career, a record at retirement that was later surpassed only by Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault. Anquetil's early career included winning the Grand Prix des Nations in 1953 by almost seven minutes at age 19, followed by the Grand Prix de Lugano and a second-place finish in the Trofeo Baracchi. His amateur career featured a bronze medal in the team road race at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and the French amateur championships in Carcassonne. His final amateur season included winning the Tour de la Manche after a stage where rival riders forced him into a ditch, but he was helped by Maurice Pelé and went on to win overall.

Did You Know?

• Anquetil was the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, in 1957 and from 1961 to 1964.
• He stated before the 1961 Tour that he would gain the yellow jersey on day one and wear it all through the tour—and he did it, despite facing previous winners Charly Gaul and Federico Bahamontes.
• His nickname 'Monsieur Chrono' came from his exceptional ability to ride alone against the clock in individual time trial stages.
• He won eight Grand Tours in his career, a record when he retired, later surpassed by Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain.
• At age 19, he won the Grand Prix des Nations by almost seven minutes, coming within 35 seconds of Hugo Koblet's course record.