A moment in time Charly Gaul tames the Galibier

The 1955 Tour de France is one week old and the race convoy is in Thonon-les-Bains, on the southern shore of Lac Léman, readying itself for a stage billed as the ‘first battle of the climbers’. Stage 8 will take the race over the Aravis, Télégraphe and Galibier passes, before a long descent via the Lauteret into Briançon.

All eyes are on the strong France team, in particular Louison Bobet, as the 108 riders remaining in the race roll out of town for the 253km stage. Bobet is the two-time defending champion and has won in Briançon