Max Bulla

Max Bulla (September 26, 1905 – March 1, 1990) was an Austrian professional road bicycle racer. In the 1931 Tour de France, Bulla won three stages and wore the yellow jersey for one day. He eventually finished the Tour in 15th place overall and won the classification for independent riders. Bulla finished fifth overall and won two stages at the 1935 Vuelta a España. He was born in Vienna and died in Pitten.

When Bulla won the second stage of the 1931 Tour de France and took the yellow jersey, the cyclists in the Tour de France were divided into national teams and touriste-routiers. The best cyclists were in the national teams, and the semi-amateurs were touriste-routiers. Bulla was a touriste-routier. In that second stage, the touriste-routiers started 10 minutes later than the national teams. Still, Bulla overtook the national teams, won the stage and took the lead, the only time in history that a touriste-routier was leading the Tour de France.

Major results

1926 1st, National Road Championships 1927 1st, National Road Championships 1931 1st, Stage 15, Deutschland Tour, Trier 1st, Züri-Metzgete 15th Overall, Tour de France 1st, Overall Independents 1st, Stage 2, Caen—Dinan 3rd, Stage 4, Brest—Vannes 3rd, Stage 5, Vannes—Les Sables d'Olonne 2nd, Stage 7, Bordeaux—Bayonne 2nd, Stage 10, Luchon—Perpignan 1st, Stage 12, Perpignan—Marseille 1st, Stage 17, Montpellier—Aix-les-Bains 1931 1st, Tour du Lac Léman 1933 1st, Overall, Tour de Suisse 1st, Stage 2, Lucerne 1st, Stage 3, Geneva 1934 1st, Stage 5, Tour de Suisse, Berne 1935 5th Overall, Vuelta a España 1st, Stage 8, Valencia 1st, Stage 10, Granada 1936 1st, Stage 7, Tour de Suisse, Zürich