The weather was good on Saturday 16 July 1960 when the 81 riders took the start of the 20th stage, which was 229 kilometers long.
It is an extra-sportive event that will mark this stage at the 159th kilometer. Learning that General De Gaulle was present at Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises, Jacques Goddet informed the runners. At the place indicated, the director of the Tour stopped his car and shouted in his megaphone: “The Tour greeted President de Gaulle affectionately.”
The riders stopped and uncovered themselves to greet the President who came forward and shook hands with Henry Anglade, Antonin Rolland and Gastone Nencini, to whom he declared: “Good luck, Mr. Nencini, you will win the Tour”. For the first time in its history, the Tour is neutralized to greet a spectator.
After this brief stop, the race resumes its rights. In Vendeuvre-sur-Barse, Pierre Beuffeuil managed to widen a significant gap. He resisted all the way to Troyes and presented himself alone on the Boulevard Jules-Guesde. Carried by the acclamations, Beuffeuil crossed detached the line. For the first time in this 1960 Tour a regional rider is stage winner. History will remember that Beuffeuil who had burst shortly before Colombey took advantage of the presence of the General to join the peloton. This wasn’t to the taste of the Director of the French team, Marcel Bidot, who lectured his riders for letting victory escape on his Troyes.
The next day, for the last stage, caravan and runners met the Cirque Municipal. Bidot took advantage of this moment to present the French team to Henri-Terré. Then the runners rushed towards Paris. Having learned the lesson of the Grand Marcel, Jean Graczyk won the Parc des Princes.
