The Substitute Races

While the Tour slept, cycling didn't disappear entirely. Underground races, organized by resistance networks, provided cover for courier activities and maintained riders' fitness. These events, held on back roads with lookouts posted for German patrols, kept competitive spirit alive while serving practical resistance purposes.

The Grand Prix des Nations

In neutral Switzerland, the Grand Prix des Nations became a surrogate world championship. Riders who could escape occupied territories competed against Swiss cyclists who had maintained their form. These races, while lacking the Tour's grandeur, provided glimpses of what peace might bring. Young riders, too young to have raced before the war, emerged as future stars.

The Swiss races also served as meeting grounds for riders from different nations, maintaining international connections that would prove crucial for the Tour's post-war revival. Friendships forged in Swiss hotels between French, Italian, Belgian, and Spanish riders created the networks that would rebuild European cycling.