ABSTRACT
In July 1937, as the Spanish Civil War raged on several fronts, including the battle for international prestige and legitimacy, six Spanish cyclists were racing along the French roads in the Tour de France, clad in purple–red–yellow jerseys, the colours of the endangered Spanish Republic. This sporting episode, laden with political significance, is one of the first (if not the very first) instances of a government attempting to use international sport for propaganda purposes at a time of war. The sporting success of the team (two stage wins) was poorly exploited by the Republican authorities for its propaganda potential, due to flaws that affected the propaganda strategies of the Republicans throughout the war: improvisation, dispersion of initiatives, and lack of coordination.
