The Tour de France has had some terrible moments. One of the worst was at the end of the final stage of the 1958 race when Constant Wouters, Secretary General of the Parc des Princes, inexplicably stepped into the path of André Darrigade during the final sprint (you may have seen pictures of the accident in "The Official Tour de France Centennial, 1903-2003" and other similar books). The two collided head-to-head and tumbled onto the track - Wouters was rushed to hospital, while Darrigade received stitches to his forehead. Incredibly, Darrigade was able (and perhaps more incredibly, was allowed) to return to the track for the French team's parade lap, and to congratulate Tour winner Charly Gaul. Here Gaul is seen visibly supporting the painfully injured Darrigade on the podium. Darrigade would recover, but sadly, Wouters would die eleven days later from his head injuries. From "But et Club - Le Miroir des Sports" No.699, 21 July 1958.
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Aldo Ross
Middletown, Ohio, USA