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View Full Version : Some Tour de France History


Phil C
07-08-2005, 04:43 PM
Since this is the big month for it. The Tour de France started in 1903 when the winner was Maurice Garin of France. It has happened every year except for World War I Years (1915 to 1918) and World War II Years (1940 to 1946). The last Frenchman to win it was Bernard Hinault in 1985. Lance Armstrong of the USA has the record of most wins at 6 and if he wins this year it adds another remarkable year for him.
Phil C
07-08-2005, 04:45 PM
Lance is not the first American to win the Tour de France. Greg LeMond won it in 1986 and 1989-90 for a total of three times!
turbostud
07-08-2005, 08:53 PM
Originally posted by Phil C
Lance is not the first American to win the Tour de France. Greg LeMond won it in 1986 and 1989-90 for a total of three times!

LeMond also holds the shortest margin of victory in a TdF of 8 seconds over France's Laurent Fignon. He won it on the final stage of the tour which happened to be a Individual Time Trial. I bet the French loved that. :D
PhiI C
07-08-2005, 11:30 PM
Originally posted by turbostud
LeMond also holds the shortest margin of victory in a TdF of 8 seconds over France's Laurent Fignon. He won it on the final stage of the tour which happened to be a Individual Time Trial. I bet the French loved that. :D

That is interesting turbo. Was that stage when they got to Paris because generally it is decided by the next to last stage and the ride into Paris is merely a formality. It would be interesting to know if he was behind on that stage and made it up when they went to Paris. :)
PhiI C
07-08-2005, 11:44 PM
I checked on it turbo and it was the next to last stage when he won it. The final stage as always was just when they all ride together in the peloton to the finish and the result is final but I bet as you said the French wished he had made a break for it.
In fact just two years earlier in 1987 John Rouche was 40 seconds ahead of Pedro Delgado after the last time trial and in the final stage to Paris Delgado seemed to have broken tradition and broke away from the peloton to try to get to the finish with enough time to win the race but he was foiled when the peloton caught him and they both finished in the peloton.