> en France sont aimés les perdants, plus que les gagnants - in France the losers are more popular than the winners 
hahaha. and holy shit those chutes at the tour 1972 in the pouring rain 
https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/111642-000-A/eddy-merckx-the-cycling-legend/
there's even Polish subtitles if you want to watch it. the chutes start at 30:30. no disc brakes, so they tried to brake with their shoes on the ground.