Octave Lapize (; 24 October 1887 – 14 July 1917) was a French professional road racing cyclist and track cyclist.
Most famous for winning the 1910 Tour de France and a bronze medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics in the men's 100 kilometres, he was a three-time winner of one-day classics, Paris–Roubaix and Paris–Brussels.
Career In his first Tour De France in 1909, he abandoned early due to wintery conditions during the month of July, but not before he managed a Stage 2 second place behind Tour winner Francois Faber. The following year he went head-to-head with Alcyon teammate Faber who led comfortably until colliding with a dog at the foot of the Pyrenees. Lapize finally won by just 4 points helped by a number of punctures to Faber's bike on the final stage from Caen to Paris. In a total of six starts in the Tour De France between 1909 and 1914, this victory was the only one he finished.
While climbing the Col d'Aubsique (via the Col du Soulor and the Col de Tortes) in the 1910 Tour de France he is reported to have said to the race organisers: "Vous êtes des criminels !"' (French for 'You are criminals!')" Later, at the stage finish in Bayonne, he is reported to have told a reporter that "Desgrange est un assassin" (French for 'Desgrange is a murderer!") The stage in question was 326 kilometers in length and featured the climbs of the Col de Peyresourde, Col d'Aspin, Col du Tourmalet, Col du Soulor, Col de Tortes and the Col d'Aubisque. Lapize won the stage.
The First World War ended his cycling career. As a fighter pilot in the French army, Octave Lapize was shot down near Flirey, Meurthe-et-Moselle on 14 July 1917. Fatally wounded, he died in a hospital in Toul.
Career achievements Major results
1908 Summer Olympics Men's 100 kilometres - Bronze Medal 1909 Paris–Roubaix, 1st Place 1910 Tour de France - 1st Overall and 4 stage wins (Stage 5, 9, 10, 14) Paris–Roubaix, 1st Place 1911 Paris–Roubaix, 1st Place Paris–Tours, 1st Place Paris–Brussels, 1st Place French National Championships, 1st Place 1912 Tour de France - Stage 6 win Paris–Brussels, 1st Place French National Championships, 1st Place 1913 Paris–Brussels, 1st Place French National Championships, 1st Place 1914 Tour de France - Stage 8 win
Grand Tour results 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914Giro d'Italia DNE DNE DNE DNE DNE DNEStages won — — — — — —Tour de France DNF-4 1 DNF-4 DNF-9 DNF-3 DNF-10Stages won 0 4 0 1 0 1Vuelta a España N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/AStages won
See also List of Olympians killed in World War I
References
Further reading