Tour de France: Ride To Stay Alive (1950-59)
"If you worried about falling off the bike, you'd never get on." - Lance Armstrong
French cyclist Louison Bobet climbs the Castillon mont during the 16th stage of the 1950 Tour de France.
Swiss cyclist Hugo Koblet ascends the Col du Tourmalet in the French Pyrenees during the 14th stage of the Tour de France (1951).
The chef and bell-boy at the Hotel Lesdiguieres can't control their excitement as the Tour de France rolls into town (1951).
Italian cyclist Fausto Coppi smiles as he holds aloft a bouquet of flowers after winning the 10th stage. Coppi went on to capture his second Tour de France.
Italian cyclist Fausto Coppi takes a nap next to his yellow jersey (1952) in the mountain resort of L'Alpe d'Huez.
Louison Bobet (centre) wins the Tour de France, at Parc des Princes, in July of 1953.
Cyclist Charly Gaul from Luxembourg racing in the 1955 Tour de France.
Cyclists Roger Hassenforder (R) and Ferdi Kubler (L) joke before the start of the 2nd stage of the Tour de France in Dieppe on July 8th, 1955.
Roger Hassenforder, winner of the 5th stage in 1955, is congratulated by French singer Annie Cordy (L) and fans in Colmar.
Swiss Ferdi Kubler recovers from his fall during the 9th stage of the Tour de France (1955).
Spanish cyclist Federico Bahamontes rests after winning the Tour de France in 1959.
Spain's Federico Bahamontes smiles as he rides on a victory lap at the Parc de Princes in Paris after becoming the first Spanish cyclist to win the Tour de France (1959).
Photos courtesy of AFP/Getty Images
