Originally Posted by
Matador6
HOLD ON! I'm going to partially correct/clarify myself. I relooked through the memoire du cyclisme database. Gitane does not alternatly show up on St Raphael jerseys in some years. According to them Gitane only appears on the St. Raphael team jersey in 1964. WHat makes it confusing is that Gitane did appear on the Rapha (the "sister" team) jerseys in 1960 and 1961. The Rapha jerseys from 1959 to 1960 are pretty distinctive. However, the 1961 Rapha team jerseys where almost identical to the St Raphael jerseys (the "Rapha" being replaced by "St Raphael"). The Rapha jerseys seem to sometimes had red sleeve stripes (like the St. Raphael jerseys) and sometimes blue. So, particularly in black and white pictures, the only real difference in the team jerseys where that ST Raphael had Geminiani embroidered on them in 1961, where as the 1961 Rapha jerseys had Gitane.
Also, I found another reference that the winning Tour de France bike frames in 1963 and 1964 where badged Gitane, but built by B. Carre. Which would balence with Raphael Geminiani remarked to a restorer recently that the Carre frame he had restored (badged Geminiani) must have come from the racing team, because Carre made their frames (although this comment seems to have been a generalization at best).
Just more tid bits to add to the research mix, for whatever it's worth.
The Rapha team only entered a handful of races during their existence, I know folks have stated "sister" team...if it was a sister, it was a younger sister (so more like a B team). Gitane bikes were ridden by other such "B" teams in the 60s (think minor league baseball) including Biere 33.
Yes Rapahel Geminiani was a rider/sponsor prior to 59 for his St Raphael Team (the aperitif maker being primary sponsor beginning in 54). I was trying to indicate that it was unlikely that another top tier team was riding Geminiani's bikes when he was director for another team riding Helyetts and Gitanes in the era your bike was made….sorry if I was unclear.
The TdF winning bikes of Anquetil's were Carres wearing Gitane decals (St Raphael) but most of the team members were riding Gitanes. Carre was not a major manufacturer but his shop built bikes for many top racers of the day and they got badged to match the team the racer was riding for. Anquetil rode Carre built bikes with both Gitane (St Raphael and Ford) and Anquetil-badging (Ford and BiC), 66 TdF winner Aimar rode a Carre bike badged as a Geminiani (Ford), and Janssen rode a Carre badged as a Lejuene when he won TdF in 68 and a Carre badged as an Anquetil when he was on BiC in 69. Some other riders on these teams also rode Carres like Jimenez (Ford and BiC) and I believe Denson (Ford and BiC) because he (Denson) was close in size to Anquetil and was the designated rider to give up his bike if Anquetil flatted.
Yeah, the only wool St Raphael jersey's I've seen are Helyett, not Geminiani or Gitane versions.