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| Tour de France | |
Pursuit of the Yellow Jersey, or the Tour de France. The greatest bicycle tour of modern times. The original concept of a race through the country, broken into stages and based on cumulative time, has remained intact, since 1903. The Idea: modeled after a six-day track race, Tour de France cyclists would leave the
confines of a velodrome and instead loop around the entire
country of France. Be sure to check out the books available at our Online Store for the Tour de France. |
 Books By or About Lance Armstrong |
Tour de France - History
| In 1903, the first Tour-a 2,428-kilometer affair split into six stages seemed far fetched at best, little more than a marketing coup for their sports newspaper L'Auto. The 1903 event saw 60 riders travelling 2,500 kilometres during 19 days on the basic cycle machinery of the day, with no convenient breaks for sleep. Competitors were expected to ride through the night. The 1904 Tour was almost the last one with the cheating that went on. In 1905, the stages were shortened in an effort to cut down on the long night stages. The Ballon d'Alsace was added, becoming the first major climb of the event. In 1910 the tour goes through the Pyrenees for the first time. The Tour is not held rom 1915-18 because of the First World War. With the return of the Tour in 1919, the yellow jersey is used to identify the overall leader. The color yellow is chosen because it's the same color as the newspaper l'Auto, the race sponsor. Eugene Christophe of France is the first rider to ever wear the yellow jersey on July 18, 1919. In 1930 the race is reformated with competators organizined into national teams and the Tour is opened to other advertisers. It's also the year of the first live radio broadcasts. In 1937 the use of three-speed derailleurs is allowed. No Tour during the war years of 1940-46. In 1952 and 1953 , two of the most famous climbs of the tour, the Ventoux and the Alpe-d'Huez at 1,912 meters (6272.89 feet) and 1,860 meters (6,102.288 feet) respectively, are added to the tour. In 1953, France's Louison Bobet's marks the tour's 50th anniversary with the first of three consecutive wins. In 1961 the Tour returns to sponsored teams. In 1975 the Tour de France finishes along the Champs Elysees for the first time. In 1986 Greg LeMond becomes the first American to win the tour. In 1997 Uzbekistan's Dshamolidin Abdushparov becomes the first rider to be disqualified from the tour for taking banned substances. |
Tour de France - Past Winners
| Year |
Winner | Nationality |
| 1903 |
Cesar Garin | France |
| 1904 |
Henri Cornet | France |
| 1905 |
Louis Trousselier | France |
| 1906 |
Rene Pottier | France |
| 1907 |
Lucien Petit-Breton | France |
| 1908 |
Lucien Petit-Breton | France |
| 1909 |
Francois Faber | Luxembourg |
| 1910 |
Octave Lapize | France |
| 1911 |
Gustave Garrigou | France |
| 1912 |
Odile Defraye | Begium |
| 1913 |
Phillippe Thys | Belgium |
| 1914 |
Phillippe Thys | Belgium |
| 1915 |
No Tour | World War I |
| 1916 |
No Tour | World War I |
| 1917 |
No Tour | World War I |
| 1918 |
No Tour | World War I |
| 1919 |
Firmin Lambot | Belgium |
| 1920 |
Phillippe Thys | Belgium |
| 1921 |
Leon Scieur | Belgium |
| 1922 |
Firmin Lambot | Belgium |
| 1923 |
Henri Pelissier | France |
| 1924 |
Ottavio Bottecchia | Italy |
| 1925 |
Ottavio Bottecchia | Italy |
| 1926 |
Lucien Buysse | Belgium |
| 1927 |
Nicolas Frantz | Luxembourg |
| 1928 |
Nicolas Frantz | Luxembourg |
| 1929 |
Maurice De Waele | Belgium |
| 1930 |
Andre Leducq | France |
| 1931 |
Antonin Magne | France |
| 1932 |
Andre Leducq | France |
| 1933 |
Georges Speicher | France |
| 1934 |
Antonin Magne | France |
| 1935 |
Romain Maes | Belgium |
| 1936 |
Silvere Maes | Belgium |
| 1937 |
Roger Lapebie | France |
| 1938 |
Gino Bartali | Italy |
| 1939 |
Silvere Maes | Belgium |
| 1940 |
No Tour | World War II |
| 1941 |
No Tour | World War II |
| 1942 |
No Tour | World War II |
| 1943 |
No Tour | World War II |
| 1944 |
No Tour | World War II |
| 1945 |
No Tour | World War II |
| 1946 |
No Tour | World War II |
| 1947 |
Jean Robic | France |
| 1948 |
Gino Bartali | Italy |
| 1949 |
Fausto Coppi | Italy |
| 1950 |
Ferdi Kubler | Switzerland |
| 1951 |
Hugo Koblet | Switzerland |
| 1952 |
Fausto Coppi | Italy |
| 1953 |
Louison Bobet | France |
| 1954 |
Louison Bobet | France |
| 1955 |
Louison Bobet | France |
| 1956 |
Roger Walkowiak | France |
| 1957 |
Jacques Anquetil | France |
| 1958 |
Charly Gaul | Luxembourg |
| 1959 |
Federico Bahamontes | Spain |
| 1960 |
Gastone Nencini | Italy |
| 1961 |
Jacques Anquetil | France |
| 1962 |
Jacques Anquetil | France |
| 1963 |
Jacques Anquetil | France |
| 1964 |
Jacques Anquetil | France |
| 1965 |
Felice Gimondi | Italy |
| 1966 |
Lucien Aimar | France |
| 1967 |
Roger Pingeon | France |
| 1968 |
Jan Janssen | Netherlands |
| 1969 |
Eddy Merckx | Belgium |
| 1970 |
Eddy Merckx | Belgium |
| 1971 |
Eddy Merckx | Belgium |
| 1972 |
Eddy Merckx | Belgium |
| 1973 |
Luis Ocana | Spain |
| 1974 |
Eddy Merckx | Belgium |
| 1975 |
Bernard Thevenet | France |
| 1976 |
Lucien van Impe | Belgium |
| 1977 |
Bernard Thevenet | France |
| 1978 |
Bernard Hinault | France |
| 1979 |
Bernard Hinault | France |
| 1980 |
Joop Zoetemelk | Netherlands |
| 1981 |
Bernard Hinault | France |
| 1982 |
Berbard Hinualt | France |
| 1983 |
Laurent Fignon | France |
| 1984 |
Laurent Fignon | France |
| 1985 |
Bernard Hinualt | France |
| 1986 |
Greg Lemond | United States |
| 1987 |
Stephen Roche | Ireland |
| 1988 |
Pedro Delgado | Spain |
| 1989 |
Greg Lemond | United States |
| 1990 |
Greg Lemond | United States |
| 1991 |
Miguel Indurain | Spain |
| 1992 |
Miguel Indurain | Spain |
| 1993 |
Miguel Indurain | Spain |
| 1994 |
Miguel Indurain | Spain |
| 1995 |
Miguel Indurain | Spain |
| 1996 |
Bjarne Riis | Denmark |
| 1997 |
Jan Ulrich | Germany |
| 1998 |
Marco Pantani | Italy |
| 1999 |
Lance Armstrong | United States |
| 2000 |
Lance Armstrong | United States |
| 2001 |
Lance Armstrong | United States |
| 2002 |
Lance Armstrong | United States |
| 2003 |
Lance Armstrong | United States |
| 2004 |
Lance Armstrong | United States |
| 2005 | Lance Armstrong | United States |
| 2006 | *Oscar Pereiro | Spain |
| 2007 | Alberto Contador | Spain |
*Due to drug use Oscar Pereiro declared winner. Floyd Landis, before testing positive for drugs was first in 89hr 39min 30sec.