TOURMAN
Paul Burke / Rodhill, UK, ca. 1967

Here is an otherwise rather unremarkable British game probably made to cash on the popularity of Tom Simpson, by far the most successful English cyclist of the 1960s. The name of the game suggests Tom Simpson's unfortunate intention to go for the overall classification of the 1967 Tour de France, which ultimately cost him his life. I am afraid that, after that, the shelf life of the game was not too long.

 

The board design is not especially beautiful or cycling-related for that matter, is it? It measures 58 x 43 cm (the game box is 45 x 31 x 4 cm).

 

There are nineteen riders in the game, six teams of three riders and an additional rider in a yellow jersey. They are made of cardboard inserted in painted wooden bits and are 4 cm long.

I believe that the game is better as a one-day race game but, since there are rules for a stage race, however simple, mountains classification, a cyclist with a yellow jersey, and the name of the game is Tourman, I will include it, albeit reluctantly, in the stage races category.
 

 

The yellow jersey rider does not have a number, since it is intended to replace the leader of the classification from the second stage on, as in many other games.

 

 

The movement of the cyclists is controlled by the throw of two (black) dice. However, if the moving rider is leading a group, a number of riders (determined by the coloured die) will follow him. This is an original rule that I do not remember seeing in any other game.

The chance/event cards are quite ugly too.

The rules also mention the possibility of blocking the road.

As stated above, the illustrations on the board are not cycling-related.

 

I am not 100% sure if the rider in the Peugeot jersey on the right of the picture is Tom Simpson (though he may be), but I am pretty sure that the one in the Molteni jersey is Rudi Altig. If I am right, then the picture must be of the 1966 season, since Altig only ran for Molteni two years, 1966 and 1967, but rode the second season in the rainbow jersey after becoming world champion at the Nürburgring. However, if you know better, please let me know.

This drawing on the rules front page looks like Tom Simpson to me.

Thanks, Mathilde, for gifting me your father's copy of this game.

Description written in April 2026.
 
 

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