The Bic Team

The French squad grew to become the pro peloton’s big hitters.

- Giles Belbin

On the evening of March 25 1967 Jacques Anquetil went to dinner in Rouen, Normandy. He was racing the next day but that didn’t stop him feasting on baked Camembert, drinking whiskey, smoking cigars and staying awake until gone 3am. Bic had just taken over sponsorship of the Ford France-Hutchinson team and Anquetil was their star rider. Raphaël Géminiani, Bic’s director, might have been justified in feeling angered by Anquetil’s frivolities had he not been at the table with him. Nevertheless, Anquetil took his place on the start line of the Critérium National and six and a quarter hours later beat Raymond Poulidor in a sprint to record Bic’s first road victory.