If you’re looking for an off-road bike, a mountain bike might be a good fit. If the Tour de France has inspired you, the bicycle is the best option for road cycling.
Beginnings and First Days
This long-distance cycle race we know as the Tour de France was unbelievably masterminded by a cycling journalist from the sports newspaper L’Auto in an attempt to challenge the dominant sports paper Le Velo, L’Auto’s bitter rival. The first Tour de France in 1903 only attracted fifteen riders due to the high cost to riders and the requirement to ride overnight. This helped those involved in the widespread cheating that occurred in the first run, including some allegedly trapping elevators with cars and trains. With subsequent runs during the day, the race became popular with the general public. L’Auto’s circulation increased several times in a short time.
Unusual tour events
Before 1930, any individual could participate in the tour, which gave it a character quite different from the organized professionalism and sponsored teams that compete today. The riders were to compete as part of the national teams from 1930 to 1961. This was an attempt by the organizer to eliminate what he saw as covert tactics by some sponsoring bicycle manufacturers who, in his view, were rigging the event. Sponsored teams returned after this time.
Lance Armstrong
There is no disputing the fact that Lance Armstrong is a household name. Not only did he win the tour an incredible seven times, but he did so for consecutive years, dominating the event from 1999 to 2005. Even more incredible is the fact that this great feat was achieved after recovering from serious cancer issues that his doctor gave him. had said. he only had a 40 percent chance of doing so.
A major rivalry developed between former Tour de France champion Jan Ullrich and Lance Armstrong for most of this period. Armstrong proved to have Ullrich’s measure. However, note must be taken of Ullrich’s sporting gesture from 2003, when he allowed Armstrong to overtake him on the final ascent of stage 15, where Armstrong fell off his bike after a spectator’s bag caught his handlebars. law. Armstrong won both the stage and the tour, with his narrowest win over second placed Ullrich. After weeks of racing in the Tour de France, only a minute and a second separated them.
Other multiple winners
Several other Tour de France winners are worthy of Hall of Fame notoriety. Four riders have won five times, being Jacques Anquetil (1957,1961,1962,1963 and 1964), Eddy Merckx (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974), Bernard Hinault (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985) and Miguel Indurain (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995). Indurain was the first cyclist to win in five consecutive years.
Interesting Tour Statistics
The narrowest margin of victory in history was in 1989, when Greg LeMond beat Laurent Fignon by just 8 seconds. Belgian Eddy Merckx has won the most stages (34). Lance Armstrong is equal fourth with 22 stage wins. The route is a great attraction for all the towns through which it passes each year. Adding a bit of color, Didi Senft, dressed in a red devil costume, has been the devil of the tour since 1993.
You will not see any Tour de France competitors on bmx bikes. Talented bmx riders can be found taking part in many extreme sporting events.