For me, the iconic Poulidor photo is that that from the Puy de Dome stage of the 1964 Tour de France. He and Anquetil are leaning on each other, neither willing to give an inch. Their duel that year was a TdF classic. Anquetils' winning margin was a mere 55 seconds, which I believe was the smallest until the 1989 Lemond victory over Fignon.


I was present to see Poulidor finish 2nd yet again, when Merckx outsprinted him at the 1974 World Championships in Montreal. Then, when he retired at the end of 1977, I bought the special issue of Cyclisme, even though my French was rudimentary.



He was definitely one of the great cyclists, who was overshadowed, first by Anquetil and then by Merckx.