The 1963 Tour de France was the 50th instance of that Grand Tour. It took place between 23 June and 14 July, with 21 stages covering a distance of 4,138 km (2,571 mi). Stages 2 and 6 were both two part stages, the first half being a regular stage and the second half being a team or individual time trial.
Rik Van Looy and the pre-race favourite Jacques Anquetil before the fifth stage
Riders during the fourth stage between Roubaix and Rouen
The yellow jersey worn by Gilbert Desmet as leader of the general classification
Federico Martín Bahamontes, born Alejandro Martín Bahamontes, was a Spanish professional road racing cyclist. He won the 1959 Tour de France and a total of 11 Grand Tour stages between 1954 and 1965. He won a total of nine mountain classifications and was the first cyclist to complete a "career triple" by winning the mountain classification in all three Grand Tours. Following his retirement, Bahamontes ran a bicycle and motorcycle shop and was named the best climber in the history of the Tour de France by a panel organised by L'Équipe in 2013.
Bahamontes in 1962
Riders at the start of stage one of the 1954 Tour de France
Bahamontes in 1960
Monument of Federico Bahamontes in Toledo (Spain) donated by Fundación Soliss