Raymond Poulidor French Cyclist 1974 Tour De France 10x8 Hand Signed Photo

SMATZ001 This is a rare and specialist opportunity to secure this large 10" x 8" hand signed photo for French champion cyclist Raymond Poulidor on 15th July 1974 winning stage 16 of the Tour De France. He has personally autographed the souvenir where his signature rests perfectly accompanying his portrait in mint condition and undedicated too.  Please see all my other professional world cyclists autographs & race memorabilia at my store.

"... Raymond Poulidor was a French professional racing cyclist, who rode for Mercier his entire career.  He was known as "The Eternal Second", because he never won the Tour de France despite finishing in second place three times, and in third place five times (including his final Tour at the age of 40).  Despite his consistency, he never wore the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification in 14 Tours (of which he completed 12).  He did win one Grand Tour, the 1964 Vuelta a España.

He became Frances most popular cycle racer and arguably its most best-loved sportsman through his valiant, near-perennial failure to win the countrys national Tour over 15 years between 1962 and 1976, and in spite of the fact that he never wore the race leaders yellow jersey. His first, bestselling autobiography, published in 1968, was entitled La Gloire Sans Maillot Jaune (Glory without the yellow jersey). After retirement, Poulidor continued to appear at the Tour, latterly working for the bank Crédit Lyonnais, the yellow jersey sponsors. In 1987 he visited Anquetil on his deathbed, when the Norman told his old rival he was about to finish second yet again.Of the eighteen Grand Tours that Poulidor entered in his career, he finished in the top 10 fifteen times..."