History
Great moments in the history of the Tour
The line between insanity and genius is said to be a fine one, and in early 20thcentury France, anyone envisaging a near-2,500-km-long cycle race across the country would have been widely viewed as unhinged. But that didn’t stop Géo Lefèvre, a journalist with L’Auto magazine at the time, from proceeding with his inspired plan. His editor, Henri Desgrange, was bold enough to believe in the idea and to throw his backing behind the Tour de France. And so it was that, on 1 July 1903, sixty pioneers set out on their bicycles from Montgeron. After six mammoth stages (Nantes - Paris, 471 km!), only 21 “routiers”, led by Maurice Garin, arrived at the end of this first epic.
Having provoked a mixture of astonishment and admiration, le Tour soon won over the sporting public and the roadside crowds swelled. The French people took to their hearts this unusual event which placed their towns, their countryside and, since 1910, even their mountains, in the spotlight.
Le Tour has always moved with the times. Like France as a whole, it benefited from the introduction of paid holidays from 1936; it has lived through wars, and then savoured the “trente glorieuses” period of economic prosperity while enjoying the heydays of Coppi, Bobet, Anquetil and Poulidor; it has opened itself up to foreign countries with the onset of globalisation, and now finds itself at the forefront of the debate on the malaise afflicting world sport in general. Over a hundred years after its inception, le Tour continues to gain strength from its experience.
Close up
© Presse SportsBERNARD HINAULT
The French cyclist who has won the most races won his first Tour de France in 1978 while he was still a rookie in the Grande Boucle. Hinault won the Tour four times (79, 81, 82 and 85). Nicknamed “The Badger”, this fierce rider retired after the 1986 Tour, during which he supported his team mate Greg LeMond.
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The history of the Tour de France since 1903
BY RIDER
The results of all the riders who raced the Tour de France.
BY YEAR
Great moments, results and stage winners for each edition of the Tour.
BY COUNTRY
Do you know how many Belgians, Englishmen or Colombians won a stage or mounted on the podium?
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View the history of a stage departure or arrival town or, learn about the various Alps’ summits on the road of the Tour, discover all kinds of records set on the Tour, check if you know the different winners of the various classifications… Discover all the stats of the Tour.
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History
Great moments in the history of the Tour
The line between insanity and genius is said to be a fine one, and in early 20thcentury France, anyone envisaging a near-2,500-km-long cycle race across the country would have been widely viewed as unhinged. But that didn’t stop Géo Lefèvre, a journalist with L’Auto magazine at the time, from proceeding with his inspired plan. His editor, Henri Desgrange, was bold enough to believe in the idea and to throw his backing behind the Tour de France. And so it was that, on 1 July 1903, sixty pioneers set out on their bicycles from Montgeron. After six mammoth stages (Nantes - Paris, 471 km!), only 21 “routiers”, led by Maurice Garin, arrived at the end of this first epic.
Having provoked a mixture of astonishment and admiration, le Tour soon won over the sporting public and the roadside crowds swelled. The French people took to their hearts this unusual event which placed their towns, their countryside and, since 1910, even their mountains, in the spotlight.
Le Tour has always moved with the times. Like France as a whole, it benefited from the introduction of paid holidays from 1936; it has lived through wars, and then savoured the “trente glorieuses” period of economic prosperity while enjoying the heydays of Coppi, Bobet, Anquetil and Poulidor; it has opened itself up to foreign countries with the onset of globalisation, and now finds itself at the forefront of the debate on the malaise afflicting world sport in general. Over a hundred years after its inception, le Tour continues to gain strength from its experience.
Close up
© Presse SportsBERNARD HINAULT
The French cyclist who has won the most races won his first Tour de France in 1978 while he was still a rookie in the Grande Boucle. Hinault won the Tour four times (79, 81, 82 and 85). Nicknamed “The Badger”, this fierce rider retired after the 1986 Tour, during which he supported his team mate Greg LeMond.
VIEW RESULTSSearch
The history of the Tour de France since 1903
BY RIDER
The results of all the riders who raced the Tour de France.
BY YEAR
Great moments, results and stage winners for each edition of the Tour.
BY COUNTRY
Do you know how many Belgians, Englishmen or Colombians won a stage or mounted on the podium?
All about the tour
View the history of a stage departure or arrival town or, learn about the various Alps’ summits on the road of the Tour, discover all kinds of records set on the Tour, check if you know the different winners of the various classifications… Discover all the stats of the Tour.
DOWNLOAD HISTORICAL GUIDESubscribe
Receive exclusive news about the Tour de France
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