passed by Jean Forestier and René Privat, who had also broken away and were sprinting for second place." 1965 national championship The Pelforth team met the night before the championship at a hotel near the circuit. The manager, Maurice de Muer, said: "Anyone intending to be champion of France, raise a hand." Four put up their hands, including Georges Groussard and Anglade. Anglade said: "Right, that's three too many. You three who fancy the jersey, I consider you adversaries. As for the rest of you with no particular ambitions, ride for me because I'm going to be French champion." Another Pelforth rider, Hubert Ferrer, broke away alone for 170 km. He was caught 30 km from the line. The peloton was tired from chasing and repeated attacks. Raymond Delisle went away when Ferrer was caught. Anglade caught him, the two stayed together for a while and then Anglade went away alone with five laps to go. He said: I knew that behind me, Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor would be neutralising each other, so I decided to keep the peloton at a minute. I realised quickly that I had a friend in the announcer. I could hear the loudspeakers perfectly right round the course and when he said '55 seconds', I accelerated. When I heard '1m 5s', I eased back a bit to recover. It worked so well that I crossed the line a minute and five seconds ahead of Poulidor and Anquetil. General de Gaulle Anglade was in the French national jersey when the race stopped unexpectedly at Colombey-les-deux-Églises to greet Charles de Gaulle, the president, in his village. Anglade said: I had stopped to relieve myself. I was just coming back up through the following cars when Jacques Goddet called me to say that the General was on the course. He asked me 'Could you imagine stopping?', a strange question to ask me, Napoleon, given that I used to get fined if I put a foot down on the road. I said we could stop but provided there was no penalty. I went up to the front of the race to warn the leaders, Nencini, Adriaenssens. In the wood of La Boisserie [de Gaulle's estate] the bodyguards were already across the road, and so we all stopped. The general came down the slope, he greeted me first and then Nencini, telling him he was going to win, and