Mayol may not have been on the same level as the A-list Hollywood stars that graced Cannes but that somehow suits the naval port of Toulon with its shipyards, rugby team and strong working-class identity.

In its heyday 50,000 supporters would turn out to catch not only a glimpse of the City’s prodigal son, but also Europe’s finest riders. The founding newspapers l’Echo des Sports and Le Journal had done their job in converting their readership to the spectacle of bicycle racing on the Côte d’Azur.

Originally a course en ligne in 1920, the first iteration of the race was run in the same format as a classic road race but with a twist. At only five kilometres in length but climbing 500 metres in the process makes the maths easy – one in ten and therefore one for the climbers.

Mont Faron was their amphitheatre, standing dominant over Toulon. The parcours would take riders from the Maritime Hospital, up the narrow and winding road and past the “Trou du Diable”, a ravine over 100m deep and where the gradient would kick up to over 14%, before reaching the summit.

A special ingredient of the Lost Races was the ability of amateurs to put themselves up again the big names. Louis Minardi was a local niçois climbing specialist, who raced for l’A.V.A.N Cycling Club. In 1930 he won both the race to La Turbie and the G.P de Nice. But few predicted he would be able to take on the pro riders from around Europe, including none other than the domineering Pélissier brothers.

The other special ingredient of these races is that, being one day, and sometimes short format events, miracles can happen. From start to finish Minardi rode “complètement déchainé” – completely unchained. By the time he reached the Trou du Diable he’d already built a lead of over 100 metres and from there he didn’t look back and crossed the line a full 500m ahead of the chasers.

Mont Faron proved to be a springboard for Minardi. He won at Mont Agel a few weeks later and took third place at the prestigious GP de Cannes. He would eventually make a name for himself on the “demi-fond” (middle-distance) circuit, becoming French champion in 1939.

After the war, in 1952, a contre-la-montre event was added to the race schedule. The time trial parcours differed from the “course en ligne”; starting near Hyères further west along the coast, running flat through La Valette and into Toulon, then finishing with the famous 5km climb up Mont Faron. In all totalling around 26km, the flat départ and summit arrivée required a mix of flat out speed and controlled climbing that would make the race a unique challenge

It’s well documented that l’Éternel Second, Raymond Poulidor, could climb with the best of them but his passage to the top step of the podium was blocked by Monsieur Chrono himself, Jacques Anquetil.

In 1961 the Mont Faron race was a watershed moment for Poupou, during the season when he revealed himself as a true contender. He won Milan-San Remo in stunning style, surprising all the favourites; leaving Rik Van Looy perplexed as to who this young Frenchman was.

At the Mont Faron chrono, Anquetil, Bahamontes, Bobet and Dotto were all on the starting list. Poulidor was going up against the masters of each trade.

It was on the second part of the course, the climb, that Poulidor made his mark, posting a finishing time sixteen seconds ahead of the Spaniard. The results confirmed his potential and the headlines read: “Poulidor meilleur escaladeur que Bahamontes!” – “Poulidor, a better climber than Bahamontes”. The rest is history, although with hindsight perhaps the headlines should have read “Poulidor bat Anquetil contre la montre”.

However, Bahamontes was the real King of Faron. He had an affinity with the races of the Côte d’Azur, taking his first professional victory in 1954 on the similar Nice - Mont Agel course en ligne, and following it up one year later with his premier win on Faron.

Whilst some of the top riders elected to only ride the TT, Bahamontes enjoyed the prospect of a pure climber’s race, and would regularly compete in both, presumably to sharpen his early season form. It worked. He won the course en ligne three times and took four time-trial titles, and in the process put Poulidor back in his natural position. The Eagle spread his wings over Mont Faron.

The final running of the Le Mont Faron in 1970 was a beginning for a young Bernard Thévenet, who took his first professional win. The race may have been lost but the climb remained iconic, featuring in the 1957 tour, the Paris-Nice many times (including a revolutionary descending prize just like recent and controversial Giro d'Italia project) and as a part of the furniture on the Tour Méditerranéen. But alas the road is too narrow and the races and their caravans are too large.

Whilst it may have been deemed too “small” by the powers that be, it’s here, in our region, to be ridden and many can attest to the fact that it’s more “difficile” than “courte”.

RIDERS’ NOTES

A one-way system is now in place on the road up, over and down Mont Faron. If you want to ride your own approximation of the course en ligne, simply follow the Mont Faron STRAVA SEGMENT

To enjoy the area we suggest you ride west towards Bormes-les-Mimosa and follow the route of Jean Bobet's beautifully described La Volupté.

Read more about the races that gone but not forgotten in our Courses Disparues series.

Photography : Antton Miettinen