1956 Tour de France

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1956 Tour de France: A simple overview

The 1956 Tour de France was the 43rd edition. It ran from July 5 to July 28, starting in Reims and finishing in Paris. The race covered 22 stages and a total distance of 4,498 km (2,795 miles). It was the fastest Tour up to that time, with an average speed of more than 36 km/h. 120 riders started, and 88 finished.

Format and expectations
The race used national and regional teams. Seven national teams with 10 riders each (France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and Luxembourg/Mixed) joined five French regional teams. There were fewer climbs and no mountain-top finishes, so many people thought the race might be easy. Louison Bobet, the winner of the previous three Tours, did not race because of surgery, leaving the field more open.

The winner and the race story
Roger Walkowiak of the Northeast/Centre region rode for a regional team and won the overall title. He did not win any stage, which made his victory surprising and controversial at the time. Fans nicknamed unworthy wins “à la Walko.” Walkowiak’s win stood out because he became only the second rider since 1922 to win the Tour without taking a stage.

Key moments
- The race opened with sprint star André Darrigade winning the first stage.
- Charly Gaul won the Stage 4 time trial and was a favorite for the mountains.
- Stage 7 featured a big breakaway; Walkowiak moved into the overall lead from that group.
- Stage 10 saw Walkowiak lose time, and later stages shuffled the overall standings many times.
- In Stage 18, Gaul won the stage on a tough climb, while another rider nearly quit on the final climb (Bahiamontes) but was persuaded to continue.
- The final weeks kept Walkowiak in the lead. In Stage 20, Gilbert Bauvin performed well in the time trial, but Walkowiak still held a narrow advantage. Stage 21 was won by Roger Hassenforder, and the race finished with Walkowiak ahead of Bauvin by about four minutes.

Classifications and after the race
- Points classification: Stan Ockers (Belgium) won.
- Mountains classification: Charly Gaul (Luxembourg) won.
- Combativity: André Darrigade was the most combative rider.
- Team classification: Belgium won the team title, with strong showings from other teams as well.
- Final notes: Of the 120 starters, 88 finished. This race was the last Tour for Belgian rider Stan Ockers, who died in a track accident a few months later. The popularity of Walkowiak’s win faded over time, but the race remains notable for its speed and the open, unpredictable competition after the absence of a defending champion.