1923 Tour de France

17th edition: June 24 - July 22, 1923

Results, stages with running GC and photos

1922 Tour | 1924 Tour | Tour de France Database | 1923 Tour Quick Facts | 1923 Tour de France Final GC | Stage results with running GC | Photos from the 1923 Tour de France

Map of the 1923 Tour de France from Le Miroir Des Sports

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Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2020: The Tour During Covid-19, Better Late Than Never is available as an audiobook here.

1923 Tour Quick Facts:

5,386 km raced at an average speed of 24.233 km/hr

139 starters grouped thus: 21 riders as 1st category, 26 were 2nd category and 92 independent touristes-routiers.

There were 48 classified finishers.

Ottavio Bottecchia was the first Italian to wear the Yellow Jersey. Henri Pélissier took the lead in the Alps and held it to Paris.

Time bonuses: 2 minutes to the stage winner.

Riders were allowed to fix their bikes with spare parts rather than repairing the broken item.

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1923 Tour de France Complete Final General Classification:

1. Henri Pélissier (Automoto) 222hr 15min 30sec
2. Ottavio Bottecchia (Automoto) @ 30min 41ec
3. Romain Bellenger (Peugeot) @ 1hr 4min 43sec
4. Hector Tiberghien (Peugeot) @ 1hr 29min 16sec
5. Arsène Alancourt (Armor) @ 2hr 6min 40sec
6. Henri Collé (Griffon) @ 2hr 28min 43sec
7. Léon Despontin (Peugeot) @ 2hr 39min 49sec
8. Lucien Buysse (Automoto) @ 2hr 40min 11sec
9. Eugène Dhers (Armor) @ 2hr 59min 9sec
10. Marcel Huot (Griffon) @ 3hr 16min 56sec
11. Joseph Muller (Peugeot) @ 3hr 26min 46sec
12. Ottavio Pratesi (Lygie) @ 3hr 35min 6sec
13. Félix Goethals (Thomann) @ 4hr 21min 38sec
14. Théophile Beeckman (Griffon) @ 5hr 0min 4sec
15. Joseph Normand (Davy) @ 5hr 9min 59sec
16. Gaston Degy (Peugeot) @ 5hr 35min 57sec
17. Lucien Rich (Christophe) @ 6hr 35min 6sec
18. Paul Duboc (Allelulia) @ 6hr 56min 41sec
19. Camille Botte (Delage) @ 7hr 13min 56sec
20. Georges Cuvelier (Lapize) @ 7hr 30min 47sec
21. Benjamin Mortier @ 8hr 3min 43sec
22. Alfons Standaert @ 8hr 17min 38sec
23. Francis Pélissier @ 9hr 43min 12sec
24. Henri Touzard @ 10hr 0min 0sec
25. Robert Jacquinot @ 10hr 41min 52sec
26. Carlo Longoni @ 11hr 0min 47sec
27. Charles Parel @ 11hr 5min 53sec
28. Louis Mottiat @ 12hr 1min 57sec
29. Giovanni Rossignoli @ 13hr 18min 28sec
30. Pierre Hudsyn @ 17hr 20min 20sec
31. Edgard Roy @ 19hr 1min 46sec
32. Antoine Riera @ 22hr 5min 39sec
33. Charles Cento @ 24hr 17min 53sec
34. Maurice Arnoult @ 25hr 32min 25sec
35. Charles Loew @ 32hr 27min 2sec
36. Paul Denis @ 33hr 38min 43sec
37. Félix Richard @ 33hr 42min 23sec
38. Henri Miège @ 34hr 1min 56sec
39. Jean Kienlen @ 35hr 7min 38sec
40. Giuseppe Ercolani @ 39hr 45min 41sec
41. Alfred Hersard @ 40hr 57min 43sec
42. Vincenzo Bianco @ 40hr 57min 56sec
43. Giuseppe Ruffoni @ 41hr 58min 42sec
44. Georges Kamm @ 42hr 18min 20sec
45. Charles Arnulf @ 42hr 59min 39sec
46. Marcel Simonet @ 43hr 32min 35sec
47. Maurice Protin @ 44hr 53min 46sec
48. Daniel Masson @ 48hr 31min 7sec

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1923 Tour stage results with running GC:

Stage 1: Sunday, June 24, Paris - Le Havre, 381 km

1. Robert Jacquinot: 13hr 51min 56sec
2. Ottavio Bottecchia @ 1min 55sec
3. Romain Bellenger s.t.
4. Hector Tiberghien s.t.
5. Léon Scieur s.t.
6. Joseph Van Daele @ 2min 17sec
7. Félix Goethals @ 3min 57sec
8. Marcel Godard s.t.
9. Honoré Barthélémy @ 7min 25sec
10. Gaston Degy @ 8min 1sec

Stage 2: Tuesday, June 26, Le Havre - Cherbourg, 371 km

1. Ottavio Bottecchia: 14hr 11min 41sec
2. Louis Mottiat s.t.
3. Romain Bellenger s.t.
4. Joseph Normand @ 22sec
5. Léon Despontin s.t.
6. Lucien Rich s.t.
7. Camille Botte @ 47sec
8. Firmin Lambot @ 1min 9sec
9. Léon Scieur s.t.
10. Henri Pélissier @ 1min 46sec

GC after Stage 2:

1. Ottavio Bottecchia
2. Romain Bellenger @ 2min 0sec
3. Léon Scieur @ 3min 9sec

Stage 3: Thursday, June 28, Cherbourg - Brest, 405 km

1. Henri Pélissier: 15hr 44min 15sec
2. Francis Pélissier s.t.
3. Ottavio Bottecchia @ 37sec
4. Philippe Thys s.t.
5. Romain Bellenger s.t.
6. Hector Tiberghien s.t.
7. Lucien Buysse s.t.
8. Félix Goethals @ 4min 14sec
9. Léon Scieur s.t.
10. Alfons Standaert @ 4min 42sec

GC after Stage 3:

1. Ottavio Bottecchia
2. Romain Bellenger @ 2min 0sec
3. Léon Scieur @ 6min 41sec

Stage 4: Saturday, June 30, Brest - Les Sables d'Olonne, 412 km

Henri Pélissier was penalized 2min for throwing away a tube

1. Albert Dejonghe: 15hr 13min 30sec
2. Hector Tiberghien s.t.
3. Philippe Thys s.t.
4. Eugène Dhers @ 8min 13sec
5. Romain Bellenger @ 9min 20sec
6. Jean Alavoine s.t.
7. Firmin Lambot s.t.
8. Félix Goethals @ 11min 6sec
9. Ottavio Bottecchia @ 15min 14sec
10. Francis Pélissier s.t.

GC after Stage 4:

1. Romain Bellenger
2. Hector Tiberghien @ 3min 15sec
3. Ottavio Bottecchia @ 3min 54sec

Stage 5: Monday, July 2, Les Sables d'Olonne - Bayonne, 482 km

1. Robert Jacquinot: 20hr 16min 26sec
2. Louis Mottiat s.t.
3. Joseph Normand s.t.
4. Ottavio Bottecchia s.t.
5. Alfons Standaert s.t.
6. Henri Pélissier s.t.
7. Léon Van Aken s.t.
8. Arsène Alancourt s.t.
9. Félix Goethals s.t.
10. Eugène Dhers s.t.

GC after Stage 5:

1. Romain Bellenger
2. Hector Tiberghien @ 3min 15sec
3. Ottavio Bottecchia @ 3min 54sec

Stage 6: Wednesday, July 4, Bayonne - Luchon, 326 km

Major ascents: Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde

1. Jean Alavoine: 16hr 5min 22sec
2. Robert Jacquinot @ 16min 5sec
3. Joseph Normand @ 16min 46sec
4. Henri Pélissier @ 23min 18sec
5. Camille Botte @ 24min 31sec
6. Ottavio Bottecchia @ 27min 15sec
7. Lucien Buysse @ 26min 38sec
8. Arsène Alancourt @ 40min 38sec
9. Henri Collé @ 41min 38sec
10. Roger Duboc @ 51min 59sec

GC after Stage 6:

1. Ottavio Bottecchia
2. Jean Alavoine @ 8min 28sec
3. Romain Bellenger @ 21min 50sec

Stage 7: Friday, July 6, Luchon - Perpignan, 323 km

Major ascents: Ares, Portet d'Aspet, Port, Puymorens

1. Jean Alavoine: 12hr 47min 58sec
2. Romain Bellenger s.t.
3. Henri Pélissier s.t.
4. Francis Pélissier s.t.
5. Hector Tiberghien s.t.
6. Ottavio Bottecchia s.t.
7. Henri Collé s.t.
8. Théophile Beeckman @ 2min 30sec
9. Léon Despontin s.t.
10. Arsène Alancourt s.t.

GC after Stage 7:

1. Ottavio Bottecchia
2. Jean Alavoine @ 8min 28sec
3. Romain Bellenger @ 21min 50sec

Stage 8: Sunday, July 8, Perpignan - Toulon, 427 km

1. Lucien Buysse: 16hr 15min 35sec
2. Ottavio Bottecchia @ 16min 16sec
3. Henri Pélissier s.t.
4. Hector Tiberghien s.t.
5. Marcel Huot s.t.
6. Robert Jacquinot s.t.
7. Francis Pélissier s.t.
8. Joseph Muller s.t.
9. Lucien Rich s.t.
10. Joseph Normand s.t.

GC after stage 8:

1. Ottavio Bottecchia
2. Jean Alavoine @ 14min 19sec
3. Henri Pélissier @ 22min 8sec

Stage 9: Tuesday, July 10, Toulon - Nice

Major ascents: Braus, Castillon

1. Jean Alavoine: 12hr 10min 39sec
2. Ottavio Bottecchia s.t.
3. Henri Collé s.t.
4. Romain Bellenger @ 2min 14sec
5. Louis Mottiat @ 4min 51sec
6. Lucien Buysse s.t.
7. Joseph Muller s.t.
8. Henri Pélissier @ 7min 44sec
9. Léon Despontin @ 8min 40sec
10. Marcel Huot @ 11min 20sec

GC after Stage 9:

1. Ottavio Bottecchia
2. Jean Alavoine @ 12min 19sec
3. Henri Pélissier @ 29min 52sec

Stage 10: Thursday, July 12, Nice - Briançon, 275 km

Major ascents: Allos, Vars, Izoard

1. Henri Pélissier: 12hr 45min 29sec
2. Lucien Buysse @ 5min 28sec
3. Arsène Alancourt @ 18min 24sec
4. Hector Tiberghien s.t.
5. Jean Alavoine @ 26min 58sec
6. Henri Collé @ 32min 26sec
7. Léon Despontin @ 33min 40sec
8. Romain Bellenger @ 28min 35sec
9. Théophile Beeckman s.t.
10. Eugène Dhers @ 29min 29sec

GC after Stage 10:

1. Henri Pélissier
2. Jean Alavoine @ 11min 25sec
3. Ottavio Bottecchia @ 13min 16sec

Stage 11: Satuday, July 14, Briançon - Geneva, 260 km

Major ascents: Galibier, Aravis

1. Henri Pélissier: 9hr 50min 21sec
2. Francis Pélissier s.t.
3. Romain Bellenger @ 8min 27sec
4. Félix Goethals @ 13min 56sec
5. Ottavio Bottecchia s.t.
6. Arsène Alancourt s.t.
7. Lucien Buysse s.t.
8. Théophile Beeckman @ 17min 35sec
9. Joseph Muller s.t.
10. Georges Cuvelier s.t.

GC after Stage 11:

1. Henri Pélissier
2. Ottavio Bottecchia @ 29min 12sec
3. Romain Bellenger @ 1hr 5min 14sec

Stage 12: Monday, July 16, Geneva - Strasbourg, 377 km

1. Joseph Muller: 15hr 8min 51sec
2. Lucien Buysse @ 24min 34sec
3. Marcel Huot s.t.
4. Benjamin Mortier @ 34min 35sec
5. Louis Mottiat s.t.
6. Alfons Standaert s.t.
7. Lucien Rich s.t.
8. Eugène Dhers s.t.
9. Gaston Degy s.t.
10. Théophile Beeckman s.t.

GC after Stage 12:

1. Henri Pélissier
2. Ottavio Bottecchia @ 29min 12sec
3. Romain Bellenger @ 1hr 5min 14sec

Stage 13: Wednesday, July 18, Strasbourg - Metz, 300 km

1. Romain Bellenger: 11hr 36min 0sec
2. Félix Goethals s.t.
3. Alfons Standaert s.t.
4. Henri Pélissier s.t.
5. Ottavio Bottecchia s.t.
6. Eugène Dhers
7. Georges Cuvelier s.t.
8. Joseph Muller s.t.
9. Louis Mottiat s.t.
10. Hector Tiberghien

GC after Stage 13:

1. Henri Pélissier
2. Ottavio Bottecchis @ 29min 12sec
3. Romain Bellenger @ 1hr 3min 18sec

Stage 14: Friday, July 20, Metz - Dunkerque, 433 km

1. Félix Goethals: 18hr 55min 8sec
2. Hector Tiberghien s.t.
3. Théophile Beeckman s.t.
4. Arsène Alancourt @ 1min 18sec
5. Henri Pélissier @ 2min 59sec
6. Ottavio Pratesi s.t.
7. Ottavio Bottecchia @ 4min 28sec
8. Romain Bellenger s.t.
9. Léon Despontin @ 6min 26sec
10. Georges Cuvelier @ 8min 6sec

GC after Stage 14:

1. Henri Pélissier
2. Ottavio Bottecchia @ 30min 41sec
3. Romain Bellenger @ 1hr 4min 43sec

Stage 15 (final stage): Sunday, July 22, Dunkerque - Paris, 343 km

1. Félix Goethals: 15hr 19min 36sec
2. Henri Pélissier s.t.
3. Louis Mottiat s.t.
4. Robert Jacquinot s.t.
5. Arsène Alancourt s.t.
6. Francis Pélissier s.t.
7. Marcel Huot s.t.
8. Georges Cuvelier s.t.
9. Lucien Buysse s.t.
10. Théophile Beeckman s.t.

1923 Tour de France complete final General Classification

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Pictures from the 1923 Tour de France

The Pélissier brothers Francis and Henri have a lighter moment during the 15th stage.

Henri Pélissier performs his own tire repair during the 12th stage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottecchia leads the pack during the 15th stage

Not only have the roads changed over the last 70 years, the nature of the traffic is also very different.

Romain Bellenger takes stage 13. Look at the muddy roads, what a dangerous stretch for a sprint.

Henri Pelissier with the winner's bouquet. How many Tours would he have won if he had been able to find a way to get along with Desgrange?

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