Aucouturier came to the Tour de France having won Paris–Roubaix.
Speculation was that he and another prominent rider, Maurice Garin, would fight out the race between them.
The paper published their picture and that of the German, Joseph Fischer on its front page on 1 July 1903.
But Aucouturier abandoned after La Palisse, 320 km into the first stage, with stomach cramp said to be brought on by drinking too much.
Nobody now knows if this means what it says, perhaps from unclean water, or if referred to drinking wine and sniffing ether, both aimed at numbing the pain of long days riding on bad roads with little food.
The previous year he had had typhoid fever and he may not have recovered.

The historian Pierre Chany, wrote:
The big athlete in his blue and red jersey collapsed on a chair.
He was crying and tears ran down the pink creases in his dusty face.

"I've never felt like this before.
My will is strong [La tête est bonne], my legs are good, but I'm not making progress.
My stomach is in a bad state."

"Your stomach?",
asked Géo Lefèvre.

"Yes.
It's finished, finished", Aucouturier replied.

"Allons!
Allons!
Eat and you'll feel better", Géo Lefèvre said.

He ate, he stood up, clenched his hands and slowly took hold of his machine.
Poor beaten champion.
The robust Hippolyte brought to ground by stomach pain, abandoned at La Palisse, 135km from the finish.

Géo Lefèvre insisted the cause was food poisoning.

La Palisse, 2 July.
Aucouturier has abandoned the race at La Palisse, telling me he could no longer continue the battle, that he had abominable stomach cramp caused by bad food.
I followed Garin and Pagie from Nevers station to La Palisse, in other words all through the night... I saw Aucouturier demoralised at Moulins and he dropped out at La Palisse and he is now, it seems, in bed in his hotel, in a feverish sleep.
The poor man has been beaten by his stomach... Lack of care has killed him.
I'd foreseen Aucouturier's weakening [effondrement], but I thought it would have happened a lot further on.
Brave Aucouturier!
Your dream of glory has flown.
Prepare your revenge!

The rules allowed a rider who dropped out to start again next morning, but to compete for daily victories and not for the overall result.
Aucouturier won the second stage, 374 km from Lyon to Marseille in 14h 28m, and the following stage from Marseille to Toulouse, 423 km in 13h 19m.
He left the race for good the following day, racing to Bordeaux, when he crashed in Moissac.

Aucouturier reached Paris, but not by bike.
Lefèvre met him there:
His crash... while not serious, troubles him a lot.
He has one leg wrapped in a thick bandage and the poor boy limps markedly.
His unhappiness at not having been able to ride the race right to the end, to have abandoned it on the first stage, is without limit.
A victory in the first Tour de France wouldn't have crowned his sporting career, because he still has long years in front of him, but it would have been his greatest glory.
Console yourself, brave Aucouturier.
Perhaps you will win the second Tour de France?
Aucouturier came to the Tour de France having won Paris–Roubaix. Speculation was that he and another prominent rider, Maurice Garin, would fight out the race between them. The paper published their picture and that of the German, Joseph Fischer on its front page on 1 July 1903. But Aucouturier abandoned after La Palisse, 320 km into the first stage, with stomach cramp said to be brought on by drinking too much. Nobody now knows if this means what it says, perhaps from unclean water, or if referred to drinking wine and sniffing ether, both aimed at numbing the pain of long days riding on bad roads with little food. The previous year he had had typhoid fever and he may not have recovered.
The historian Pierre Chany, wrote:
The big athlete in his blue and red jersey collapsed on a chair. He was crying and tears ran down the pink creases in his dusty face.
"I've never felt like this before. My will is strong [La tête est bonne], my legs are good, but I'm not making progress. My stomach is in a bad state."
"Your stomach?", asked Géo Lefèvre.
"Yes. It's finished, finished", Aucouturier replied.
"Allons! Allons! Eat and you'll feel better", Géo Lefèvre said.
He ate, he stood up, clenched his hands and slowly took hold of his machine. Poor beaten champion. The robust Hippolyte brought to ground by stomach pain, abandoned at La Palisse, 135km from the finish.
Géo Lefèvre insisted the cause was food poisoning.
La Palisse, 2 July. Aucouturier has abandoned the race at La Palisse, telling me he could no longer continue the battle, that he had abominable stomach cramp caused by bad food. I followed Garin and Pagie from Nevers station to La Palisse, in other words all through the night... I saw Aucouturier demoralised at Moulins and he dropped out at La Palisse and he is now, it seems, in bed in his hotel, in a feverish sleep. The poor man has been beaten by his stomach... Lack of care has killed him. I'd foreseen Aucouturier's weakening [effondrement], but I thought it would have happened a lot further on. Brave Aucouturier! Your dream of glory has flown. Prepare your revenge!
The rules allowed a rider who dropped out to start again next morning, but to compete for daily victories and not for the overall result. Aucouturier won the second stage, 374 km from Lyon to Marseille in 14h 28m, and the following stage from Marseille to Toulouse, 423 km in 13h 19m. He left the race for good the following day, racing to Bordeaux, when he crashed in Moissac.
Aucouturier reached Paris, but not by bike. Lefèvre met him there:
His crash... while not serious, troubles him a lot. He has one leg wrapped in a thick bandage and the poor boy limps markedly. His unhappiness at not having been able to ride the race right to the end, to have abandoned it on the first stage, is without limit. A victory in the first Tour de France wouldn't have crowned his sporting career, because he still has long years in front of him, but it would have been his greatest glory. Console yourself, brave Aucouturier. Perhaps you will win the second Tour de France?
Hippolyte Aucouturier