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Sport	Cycling
Name	Tour de France
Subtitle	The World's Most Famous Cycle Race
Number	09-01
Info	Much has been written, and spoken, about the world's most famous bicycle race, the Tour de France. It was first introduced at the turn of the century by Henri Desgrange, editor of L'Auto, following an idea put forward by his colleague Geo Lefévre. Today, the event is a part of the historical as well as the social life of France and the roads followed by the cyclists have been the scene of many a drama and legendary exploit. The route crosses the Vosges, the Alps, the Pyrenees. The race has brought immortality to such places as the Ballon d'Alsace, Chartreuse, Tourmalet, Aubisque, Galibier, Izoard, Puy-de-DOrne. It was on Mount Ventoux that the British cyclist Tom Simpson died in 1967 as a result of taking pain-killing drugs. The Tour de France, the queen of professional cycle races, is also the toughest and most exacting stage race in the world, and winners of the Tour are correspondingly venerated. Such men include Maurice Garin, the first-ever winner in 1903, Petit- Breton, Faber, Philippe Thys, Henri Pelissier, Ottavio Bottecchia, Andre Leducq, Antonin Magne, Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi, Ferdi Kubler, Hugo Koblet, Louison Bobet, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Thevenet. And the list goes on, with others such as Sylvere Maes, Jean Robic, Charly Gaul, Federico Bahamontes, Felice Gimondi, Luis Ocana and Lucien Van Impe, who have shed blood, sweat and tears and contributed some of the most glorious pages to the history of this race. Yet others have never won the Tour de France, but have achieved fame by virtue of their courage in adversity: these include Eugene Christophe, Jean Alavoine, Rene Vietto and Raymond Poulidor. Today the Tour de France is a massive event organized by the papers L'Equipe and Le Parisien Libere. Modifications in the structure of the race are constantly being introduced. A system in which national teams took part (as in 1930-1961, and 1967-1968) has given way to one in which riders are sponsored by cycle manufacturers. The yellow jersey was worn for the first time by Eugene Christophe at Grenoble during the 1919 Tour; today, it is the most coveted trophy of cyclists the world over.
Photo Info	Tour de France 1975: Zoetemelk, Merckx, Thevenet, Van Impe
Copyright	© 1977, Editions Rencontre S.A., Lausanne A Photo J Miroir-Panorama 1975 Printed in Italy 03 005 09-01