Tour De France During The Second World War
The Tour de France was not held during World War II because the organisers refused German requests. Although a 1940 Tour de France had been announced earlier, the outbreak of the war made it impossible for it to be held. After that, some attempts were made by the Germans during the war to have a Tour de France to maintain the sense of normality, but l'Auto, the organising newspaper, refused. Some other races were run as a replacement.
After World War II, l'Auto was closed for collaborating with the Germans. The rights to organise the Tour went to the French government. As two newspapers were interested in these rights, they both organised a small Tour of five stages, and the race run by L'Équipe was considered the most successful, therefore L'Équipe could organise the 1947 Tour de France.
Read more about Tour De France During The Second World War: History, Candidate Tours After Liberation, Aftermath
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