1917day.year
Octave Lapize
(1887 - 1917)
French cyclist
French cyclist
French professional cyclist and 1910 Tour de France winner known for his resilience in the early Grand Tours.
Born in 1887, Octave Lapize was a pioneering figure in early professional cycling. He won the 1910 Tour de France, famously traversing challenging mountain stages including the Pyrenees. Lapize’s victory highlighted the endurance and grit required in the sport’s infancy. With the outbreak of World War I, he enlisted in the French army and later served as a fighter pilot. Lapize was shot down and killed in action in 1917, becoming one of the first Tour de France champions to die in the war. His dual legacy endures in both cycling and military history.
1917
Octave Lapize