Just as Italy had the duel between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali, France was divided in 2 by Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor. Poulidor (Poupou) was the darling of the French while Anquetil only became loved after his death in 1987.
Poulidor was the farmer's champion, stubborn, tough, always friendly and never shy about shaking hands. Anquetil, on the other hand, was the elegant champion, aloof, stylish in the saddle, leader of the pack and lover of oysters and champagne.
Jacques Anquetil in battle with his eternal rival Raymond Poulidor
Jacques Anquetil, however, was also the son of farmers (his parents had a strawberry farm in Normandy), but his well-groomed blond hair, his taste for fashion and his always stylish appearance made him look like someone from the upper class.
When Anquetil is young he prefers football to cycling. He accuses his friends of being crazy for choosing cycling over football. Way too tricky! Only when he realizes that there is more money to be made with cycling than picking strawberries, does he decide to use his talent. At the age of 16 he starts as a newcomer and a year later he wins his first race, separated from the peloton.
The sequel is history: 5 times the Tour de France, 2 times the Giro d'Italia, 1 time the Vuelta in addition to numerous other victories in one-day races or shorter stage races.
Janine, Anquetil's doctor's wife
Otherwise, Anquetil's family life will turn out differently. He falls in love with Janine, his doctor's wife with whom she has 2 children: Annie and Alain. Jacques courts Janine several times, but they only really become a couple when he kidnaps her with an excuse to his castle in Rouen.
Jacques Anquetil en Janine
Janine is 6 years older and can no longer have children. Jacques wants children at all costs and then aims his arrows at Annie, Janine's daughter who is only 18 years old at the time. Apparently, Janine would have approved of this and Annie's feelings for Jacques were also real. Not much later Sophie is born, Anquetil's 1st daughter.
Jacques and Janine on the cover of Le miroir des sports in 1961
Everyone lives together in the large castle: Janine, Annie and Alain with his wife Dominique. Things don't get along between Dominique and Annie, so Annie leaves the castle and moves to Corsica. Jacques is in all states and launches the rumor that Dominique likes him in the hope that Annie will return with Sophie.
However, it soon turns out that it is not just a rumor because Christophe, Jacques' 2nd child, is born a few months later. Unfortunately, he will not be able to enjoy his son for long because in 1987 Anquetil dies of stomach cancer.
Jacques Anquetil's tomb Quincampoix
It is said that Annie and Sophie still live in Corsica and Dominique and Christophe in the castle in Rouen.
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