1928 Tour de France Stage Starters Needed

[Tour1928]

Hello! I am working on a documentary about the 1928 Tour de France with a focus on Harry Watson and the Australasian team for an MS charity. one of our cyclists is recreating their uniform and will be cycling the entirety of the 1928 course. As we leave each stage, we would like for a local cycling hero or someone interesting from the cycling world start us off from each city. These are the the stages we are cycling and we will be doing this mid-summer.

Paris
Caen
Cherbourg
Dinan
Brest
Vannes
Les Sables d'Olonne
Bordeaux Hendaye
REST @ HENDAYE
Luchon
REST @ LUCHON
Perpignan
REST @ PERPIGNAN
Marseilles
REST @ MARSEILLE
Nice
REST @ NICE
Grenoble
REST @ GRENOBLE
Evian REST @ EVIAN
Pontarlier
Belfort
Strasbourg
Metz
Charleville
Malo-les-Bains
Dieppe
Paris - Finish

If you know a local hero or someone interesting in any of these cities, please let me know and I can get you more information! Thank you!

 

[winetiger]

Here’s a list of some still-alive riders who came from towns from your list, their approx career span, and their biggest successes, in case it helps.
I don’t know if any still live in the same localities.

Paris, Michel Rousseau, 1955-1967, Olympic Gold and World Champion title on the track
Paris, Stephane Javalet, 1980-2001, participations in Paris-Roubaix and Tour de France. Now manager of BigMat-Auber93 cycling team

Caen, Alexandre Pichot, 2002-2011, good placings in various small tours. Between 2008-2011 a sportive named after him took place near Caen, which suggests he still lives thereabouts

Cherbourg, Amael Moinard, 2005-present, stage of Paris-Nice, still with BMC cycling team. He still has a fan base at Cherbourg, which suggests he still lives locally

Dinan, Cedric Herve, 2002-2008, winner of GP Plumelec-Morbihan

Brest, Christian Seznec, 1974-1984, two stages of Tour de France
Brest, Benoit Salmon, 1996-2008, Midi Libre and White Jersey at Tour de France

Grenoble, Laurent Biondi, 1980-1993, various national track championships. Now employed by Ag2R management

Metz, Catherine Marsal, 1985-1999, Road World Champion, Women’s Tour of Italy. Now lives in Denmark as director of the SATS cycling team